People’s Daily recently reported that the 138th Confucius Institute started classes on January 24 in Ottawa, Canada. The report indicated that the purpose of opening this new Confucius Institute was decided on as a reaction to filling students’ needs to face the challenges of globalization and to be more prepared for the future job market. In the opening ceremony, the mayor of Ottawa suggested that the number of Chinese tourists already surpassed those from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. China is now Canada’s second largest trading partner after the United States. The trade volume is expected to double within the next four years. In addition to teaching the Chinese language, this new Confucius Institute also offers business consulting and training services to government agencies, private enterprises, and chambers of commerce.
Source: People’s Daily, January 30, 2012
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