The United Nations (UN) is set to celebrate the 13th annual Chinese Language Day today under the theme “Chinese Wisdom for a Green World.” Photo: dealmakerz

The United Nations (UN) is set to celebrate the 13th annual Chinese Language Day today.

This year’s Chinese Language Day will be held under the theme “Chinese Wisdom for a Green World” to bring Chinese wisdom and solutions for green and sustainable development.

In recent decades, the active internalization of Chinese state-owned companies and the role of the PRC in global diplomacy have led to the growth of the Chinese language in industrialized and developing countries, spurred by Confucius Institutes. To deepen its geopolitical reach, Beijing has recently sought to mitigate environmental risks in overseas investment projects and increase its participation in global environmental diplomacy, including entering into sustainable green partnerships with African and Asian countries in 2021. In this way, the PRC hopes to equally maintain its international cultural outreach.

Expect the Global South to be the battleground for Chinese attempts to challenge English’s dominance. Several developing countries are planning to make Chinese compulsory in schools. It is unlikely, however, that Chinese will become the only global language in the short to medium term, with English still widely used as the official language and preferred medium for international trade across many African, Asian and Pacific Island economies.