Chinese is attracting new learners worldwide as a way for young people to expand cross-cultural communication and tap into future opportunities. 

From US President Donald Trump's family member to the children of tech billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, learning Chinese has long been popular among celebrity families.

Meanwhile, British actress Rosamund Pike, whose children speak Chinese, described Mandarin as the "language of the future" during then British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Shanghai in January 2026.

Learning Chinese opens doors to career opportunities

In Egypt, closer economic cooperation with China is making Chinese an increasingly valuable skill for young people seeking career opportunities. 

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, China's newly added direct investment in Egypt reached $284 million in 2025, up more than 200% year on year. The China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone hosts more than 200 companies and provides over 10,000 direct jobs.

As economic ties deepen, Chinese-language education is also gaining ground in Egypt. According to the Chinese ambassador to Egypt, 36 Egyptian universities have Chinese-language departments, while 41 secondary schools across 10 provinces offer Chinese as an elective subject.

In Kyrgyzstan, learning Chinese has also gained popularity among young people. 

Baikazak Sultanbekov, a student at the Foreign Languages College of Jalal-Abad State University, told Xinhua that his older cousin had studied at a university in Shanghai and shared his impressions of life in China. Inspired by his cousin's accounts of China's development and convenient urban life, Sultanbekov decided to learn Chinese and hopes to study in China in the future.

As he continued learning, the language itself truly sparked his interest. "I think the most interesting thing about Chinese is its characters...every Chinese character is like a work of art. That is precisely where their charm lies," he said.

Learning Chinese for cultural discovery and exchange

Beyond education and employment, cultural appeal is another important factor behind growing interest in learning Chinese. 

As China's visa-free travel arrangements expand, more foreign visitors have opportunities to experience the country's rich history and culture firsthand. Meanwhile, Chinese songs, films and television dramas, online literature and micro-dramas are reaching audiences around the world, offering new ways to encounter the language.

Nineteen-year-old Kyrgyz student Zuura Zakirova's interest in Chinese began with TV dramas, particularly Chinese fantasy dramas and the period costumes worn by the actors. Her fascination with the dramas eventually led her to start learning Chinese more than two years ago. "Now, I can communicate freely with Chinese people in their own language," she said.

Her story illustrates how Chinese cultural content can spark interest in learning the language.

China's online literature industry has also expanded its overseas reach. According to data released by the China Writers Association in July 2026, Chinese online literature platforms had about 250 million registered users overseas by the end of 2025.