The US government has opened its first Taiwan branch of its language learning center, The Language Flagship. The branch, which will teach Mandarin Chinese to Americans, opened on Monday at National Taiwan University in Taipei.
Over the past ten years, all of the centers that teach Mandarin have been located in China.
The United States’ top diplomat in Taiwan, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen, said Taiwan is an ideal place for American students to learn Chinese. He described Taiwan as a story of democracy, a reliable partner and a force for good in the world. He said Taiwan is a friendly, culturally diverse society and a safe place to live.
“I was once a missionary in Taiwan. I was also a diplomat and student of advanced Chinese," said Christensen. "These experiences have helped nurture me to the small achievements I’ve made. So I’d like encourage everyone to make the most of your time in Taiwan.”
There are currently 22 American students learning Chinese at the center. Classes are entirely in Chinese and students must also immerse themselves in a Chinese-language working environment as an intern for four months. If students do not keep up in their classes, or adhere to the school or nation’s laws, they will be sent back to the US.
The headquarters of The Language Flagship is in Washington DC. Its aim is to train Americans to be fully proficient in languages key to US national security and economic competitiveness.