Bridging East and West through Mandarin learning

International Chinese language education has become increasingly vital to bridge the information gap and enhance cultural understanding between young people in the East and the West, experts and learners said during the World Chinese Language Conference in Beijing.

Ryan Bernard, president of Saint Mary's School in the United States, said that understanding people's language, history and values is "more important than ever" in today's globalized world.

"It promotes mutual understanding among people from different nations and helps ensure that Americans better understand the world," he said.