More and more Chinese people are learning French. Some pursue it ahead of studying abroad, while others just learn for fun.

The Alliance Française of Beijing, a non-profit Chinese-Foreign cooperative school, offers courses in both French and cultural cultivation to more than 6,000 students each year.

"My job is mainly focused on European tourism, so learning French makes me more competitive. And I find myself getting more interested in listening to French music and watching French movies. And there are more opportunities to discover France," said Tony, a student studying French.

"I study French because I find it's much easier for me to better know the history of France. I can better understand the original French culture by reading newspapers in French," added Wang Tong, another language student.

Teachers say promoting the French language, French-speaking culture, and inter-cultural dialogue are very important. They also say the result will be much more than that.

"More and more French people came to China to train Chinese professionals. For instance, many Chinese professionals are also interested in wine. So learning French is not only about the culture, but also about business. Because Chinese people are more pragmatic in that field," said Vincent, a teacher from the Alliance Française of Beijing.

With the mission of language education and cultural exchange, the world's largest non-profit organization has set its goal higher.

"Our goal is to increase the number of people learning French. We are going to teach French in public schools in Beijing. Beijing Language Culture University and Beijing Education Bureau have given us lots of support," said Thierry Lasserre, director of the Alliance Française of Beijing.