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Please find the top 3 countries for Chinese language learning.
Unlike other foreign language organizations, the Office of Chinese Language Council International (or Hanban) does not regularly release numbers on the amount of foreign Mandarin learners. Nor does it break down the number of learners by country. The last publicly available numbers date from 2009 when about 600,000 foreign applicants completed the HKS (Mandarin competency) tests. However, through analysis, there are clear trends in global Mandarin education. Historically, Japan, South Korea, and the United States have led in the study of Mandarin as a second language. However, there has been a drastic increase in Mandarin learning programs in France, The United Kingdom, Australia, and even The United States in the last decade. This has shifted the landscape so that the top 2 countries are now The United States and Japan, with third place a very close race between France and Korea. Below you will find an explanation of my methodology and insights into Mandarin education in these four countries.
Methodology
As the official number of Mandarin students in most countries are not available to the public, I based my findings on the number of learning institutions available in each country, focusing on the following two criteria:
1. The amount of HKS testing locations needed to service each country.
The HKS is an exam, officially sponsored by the Chinese government, designed to test proficiency in the Mandarin language in non-native Mandarin speakers. By examining how many testing locations exist, we can get an idea of the demand for official proficiency testing in each country.
2. The number of Confucius Institute locations and classrooms in each country.
The Confucius Institute is a Chinese government-backed non-profit organization that partners with learning institutions in other countries to create course programs in Mandarin at various schools and Universities. By tracking the number of Confucius Institute locations, we can get an idea of the reach of their programs in each country, and therefore an idea of the demand for Mandarin education in said country.
You can find a compiled table of the number of Confucius Institute and HKS testing locations in the top 11 countries in a Google Document, provided as Source 6.
1. The United States
Additional information — There was a 100% increase in Chinese-language programs in American high schools between 2013 and 2015. At the college level, enrollment in Chinese-language classes increased 51% between 2002 and 2015. And in 2015, the U.S. government announced an initiative to foster training in Chinese languages and increase the number of Americans who speak Mandarin to above 1 million.
2. Japan
Additional information — While Japan contains few Confucius Institute affiliated schools, Chinese is commonly offered in Japanese foreign language programs, which is reflected in the high need for HKS locations. Also, while no official numbers exist, the amount of existing Mandarin speakers in Japan may actually top the United States, according to unofficial estimates.
3. France
Additional information — Participation in Confucius Institute programs is low in France, mainly due to perceptions of the Institute amongst some "Western" institutions of learning. However, Mandarin education has been growing and is reflected in the growing number of HKS testing locations needed for France.
4. South Korea
Additional information — Like Japan, South Korea has commonly offered classes in Mandarin in its public education institutions for years, and may have more existing non-native Mandarin speakers than the U.S. if fewer students.
HOnorable mention
United Kingdom — The UK has seen a drastic increase in Confucius Institute affiliated programs, but no drastic increase in testing centers. This may reflect a low current enrollment, but also a push by Chinese officials to create accessible courses, leading to an increase in need for Mandarin education in the U.K.
Australia — Australia does not have a very large number of educational offerings, but that number is growing, and Australia is one of the few nations where Mandarin is the most common second language for citizens.
Conclusion
The United States, Japan, Korea, and France have the current highest need for Mandarin education programs, while Australia and the United Kingdom could also be important markets for Mandarin education in the future.