# Is Chinese the new French?


Although it was Eurocentric, I like to think back at the time when all
serious scholars in Europe were expected to know at least French (and by
association perhaps Italian and Spanish), German, English and some Greek
and Latin. When you read a book, and there are frequent citations in
those languages, that are not translated. It is the same thing now,
reading a book about the early history of literature in Indonesia, with
none of the Indonesian citations translated.

With the Chinese gaining in geo-political strength every day, that
language seems well-poised to become an important strategic asset as
well. I already knew that [Kevin
Rudd](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Rudd), the new prime minister
of Australia, speaks Chinese - he was a diplomat there - and it makes
sense that you want a prime minister of Australia that speaks Chinese
(and seems much more open to the outside world than John Howard ever
was).

![](http://www.cooperation-internationale.com/IMG/arton553.jpg)And
through a [French
article](http://www.rue89.com/chinatown/jean-ping-un-dirigeant-africain-aux-accents-chinois)
a friend of mine sent me, I just learnt that the head of the African
Union is half-African, half-Chinese and speaks Mandarin. [Jean
Ping](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ping) from Gabon, son of a
Chinese trader and a Gabonese mother, was chosen for the position on
February 1st. And with the greatly increasing Chinese trade and
investment with China, he is likely to be quite busy.

Stian