From the Guardian (link):
The US is being swept by a rush to learn Mandarin, the official form of the language used in mainland China. From wealthy New York mothers hiring Chinese nannies for their toddlers, to west coast parents demanding classes from their local schools to a defence department education project in Oregon.
The twin forces driving Mandarin’s momentum are parental ambition for children facing a future in which China is almost certain to be a major player, and a government worried that America may get left behind in that new world order.
