Indonesian language growing in importance in China

Guangzhou, NU Online
Command of  Indonesian language is increasing in importance in China  as the number of Indonesian tourists to that country is going up  every year, a Chinese academician said.

Prof. Cai Jin Cheng MA who teaches Indonesian and Malay literature at  Guangdong University’s Instutute of Foreign Studies said here Tuesday the increasing importance of the Indonesian language in China could be seen from the fact that the frequency of admission of students for the Indonesian language department at the university had been raised from once every five years to once every two years.  <> 

Cheng said for every class in its Indonesian language department, the university was accepting 20 students. Most  graduates from the department  worked in the tourism sector, China’s foreign ministry, consultancy offices and the Chinese embassy in Indonesia.

In its effort to further improve its Indonesian language study program, Guangdong University had since 2003 cooperated with Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where a number of Chinese lecturers obtained a master degree in Indonesian literature and language studies.

This year, Guangdong University sent 10 lecturers to Gajah Mada University to obtain a master degree in Indonesian literature and language studies in the hope they could teach the subject at the  university after returning to China.

Cheng said  Guangdong University opened its  Indonesian Literature and Language Studies department in 1970 when China- Indonesia relations were at their worst. At the time relations between Indonesia and China were frozen but China’s leader at the time, Mao Zedong, continued to consider the Indonesian language  was important for Indonesia was a big country.

Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding on tourism sector between Indonesia and China many Indonesian tourists went to China.

Graduates from the university’s Indonesian literature and language studies department were also needed in activities conducted in business and economic fields between the two countries. 

Guangdong  University was running its Indonesian literature and language studies department because Chinese commanding the Indonesian language were a small minority and the studies on it in China were rare  while it offered good job opportunities, he said. (ant/dar)