Classes in Chinese Grow as the Language Rides a Wave of Popularity – Gretchen Ruethling

From the New York Times:

“Many Americans are beginning to realize the importance of speaking Chinese,” Zhu Hongqing, consul at the Chinese Education Consulate here, said. “We need to provide as much powerful support as we can.”

The number of Chinese language programs around the country, from elementary school through adult programs, has tripled in 10 years, said Scott McGinnis, an academic adviser at the Defense Language Institute in Washington.