The United Nations (UN) marked its 16th Chinese Language Day on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at its New York headquarters, offering an immersive cultural experience that blended Chinese poetry and music. This year's event, titled "Poetic China: Rhymes and Romance," featured Chinese poetry readings, musical performances, and an exhibition on Chinese characters. More than 400 UN diplomats, staff, and international guests attended the event.
The UN singers performed the iconic Chinese folk song "Jasmine," while UN staff and diplomats read excerpts from classic Chinese texts, including the Book of Poetry and the Book of Changes, as well as a poem by the Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek, exploring the lyrical beauty of the Chinese language. Zach Danz, a UN staff member and one of the readers, began learning Chinese a decade ago while studying theater at a university in Shanghai. He acknowledged the challenges of mastering the language but expressed how enriching he finds the experience of exploring Chinese culture.
During the opening ceremony, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, remarked that poetry is deeply embedded in the soul of the Chinese people. He noted that Chinese classical poetry, which dates back over 3,000 years, marks the beginning of a rich cultural tradition. Fu highlighted that "Chinese is stepping ever more confidently onto the world stage, becoming a bridge that crosses cultures, fosters understanding, and helps forge consensus." He further emphasized that the event is "more than just one language" but "a celebration of dialogue among civilizations," something needed more than ever today.
The UN's Language Days, introduced in 2010, promote multilingualism and cultural diversity, ensuring the equal use of the six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. Chinese Language Day is celebrated on April 20, around the time of Guyu (Rain of Millet), the sixth of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This date honors Cangjie, the legendary figure believed to have invented Chinese characters.
In a related context, the rise of Mandarin in Cambodia is a testament to the growing influence of Chinese investment in the region. In Sihanoukville, a city that has become the biggest recipient of Chinese investment in Cambodia, local linguist Um Keangseng opened a language school to meet the increasing demand for Mandarin lessons. As President Xi Jinping prepares to visit Cambodia on April 17, 2025, the significance of Mandarin in the local economy is more pronounced than ever.
Um Keangseng's Tai Zhong No.2 School has more than 400 part-time students, ranging from elementary to college age, learning Mandarin—the world's most spoken first language. "Every province has Chinese investors," said Um Keangseng, who founded his school a decade ago to address the market for skilled communicators. He recalled that people used to laugh at his family for speaking Chinese, believing it was not as useful as English, French, or Thai. Now, many of his former students have gone into business with the Chinese, working in their companies or even becoming investors themselves.
While Um Keangseng displayed characters on a computer screen, student Ouk Sok Heng, 18, practiced the stroke order. Despite never having set foot in China, he has ambitions to continue his IT studies at a Chinese university. "In the future, I want to do business with Chinese people. It will be easy (to earn money) if I can speak Chinese," he said.
The port city of Sihanoukville is now packed with Chinese-owned and run casinos, hotels, restaurants, and factories that have opened in recent years. Um Keangseng stated that his small nation relies heavily on foreign countries—"especially China"—with language being an important aspect "to develop our country together."
Mandarin skills are opening up opportunities in the city, such as receptionist jobs, according to student Kok Ravy, 21. "If we don't speak Chinese, it will be difficult for us," she noted. Analyst Ou Virak expressed hope that Cambodians will be able to diversify their language skills without forgetting their roots and identity. "I would want us to entrench ourselves in the Khmer language and the Khmer culture," he said. However, the growing trend sees parents increasingly sending their children to Mandarin lessons to boost their prospects, influenced by the "unstoppable rise of China."
As Chinese influence continues to expand globally, events like the UN's Chinese Language Day and the rise of Mandarin in Cambodia reflect a broader trend of cultural exchange and adaptation. These developments not only showcase the importance of language in fostering international relations but also highlight the role of education in preparing future generations for a more interconnected world.
