Background and Purposes

As friendly neighbors connected by shared mountains and rivers, China and Laos have maintained longstanding and positive economic and trade cooperation and frequent cultural exchanges. Recent years have seen a intensifying comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, which has led to huge demand in Laos for talents with Chinese language proficiency, an important opportunity to promote Chinese language learning in Laos. The year 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Laos. Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that the bilateral relations would enter a key stage of building on past successes to make further achievements.

With bilateral relations becoming stronger and major collaborative engineering projects underway, Laos has seen more Chinese businesses starting operations there, which naturally need high-calibred personnel with extensive knowledge of both Chinese and Lao languages and cultures and will offer competitive salaries and exciting possibilities. The pressing demand for Chinese language talents has directly shaped the local labor market. It is often heard in Laos that Chinese language skills mean a good life.” The ability to speak Chinese has become one of the essential requirements for any Laos who want to land a job in local Chinese businesses or organizations, and local talents with a good command of the Chinese language would have a clear edge in job hunting.

Despite locals’ strong desire to learn Chinese , Chinese language instruction is still in its infancy there, faced with limited resources, inadequate teachers and obsolete methods. Chinese language education in Laos focuses only on nurturing overseas promoters of Chinese,  with scant attention to the prominent role of Chinese in business. A severe lack is found of textbooks targeted toward amateurs or learners of business Chinese , and much more needs to be done in producing qualified local Chinese language instructors. These reflect a serious disparity between supply and demand.

General Outline

1. Phase 1:

Making preparations. The project teams (including experts, teachers and students) will be formed through video conferencing and in-person discussion; each member will be asked to play a role in the team, including  developing work plans, designing questionnaires, gleaning materials, revising questionnaires based on a small-scale survey, and providing training on doing surveys.

2. Phase 2

1) Conducting field research (for around a week). The project teams will visit local Chinese language learners and teachers and employers, request interviewees to complete questionnaires, and collect first-hand information and data (The means of survey may be changed in line with local COVID-19 pandemic control measures.)

2) Making statistical analysis. The project teams will apply statistical methods to analyze the data and information obtained from the surveys and interviews, sum up the demands of Chinese language learners for business Chinese study and application, and provide an insight into the development of Chinese language instructors, curriculum, and textbooks.  

3) Wrapping up. The project teams will review the project , the demands of local Chinese language learners for business Chinese, and the profile of local business Chinese learners, based on which to make a comprehensive summary of the project with theoretical considerations.

Management Guidelines

The project teams will be comprised of 3 teachers and 9 Chinese and international students. The project organizer and supervisors will manage project by watching progress, deploying personnel, and ensuring coordination. The other members shall work with each other to perform tasks as required.