covid impact on chinese learning

[rizen suha]

due to the reduced possibility of physical presence in china and taiwan ... for the past two years (with the prospect of this continuing thru 2023) ... what has been / will be the impact of this on the world's interest in learning chinese?

it would be interesting to hear your impressions / personal take / experience / links to analysis.

 

[rizen suha]

for what its worth, google trends on "learn chinese"

 

[Fernando]

There is a hard core of people interested in Chinese culture that will remain interested no matter what, the academic types. For those travel opportunities are desirable, but not crucial.

As for ordinary people picking up Chinese I think the determinant factor is not so much Covid itself, but the geopolitical changes that Covid merely accelerated. It’s clear that China’s moment as a wild west of opportunity is over. Economic links are still strong and may remain so for the foreseeable future, but the prior enthusiasm is gone, and a new wariness has taken its place. China’s image has taken a turn for the worse in the west and I think that’ll reduce the number of casual/opportunity learners.