"Chinese
Toefl" Fever
Known as the Chinese Toefl, HSK (Chinese abbreviation
for Chinese Proficiency Test) is attracting more and more overseas
Chinese-language learners. In 2002, the first year of China's
accession to the WTO, the number of people taking the test from
around the world hit a record high.
According to Cui Xiliang, director of the
Beijing Language and Culture University HSK Center, some 144,000
foreigners took the exam in 2002 - an increase of 40,000 over
2001. The largest number was from the ROK, followed by Japan,
USA, Germany and Italy.
By the end of 2002 a total of 540,000 people
from over 120 countries had participated in the HSK. The test
is held at 44 sites across 27 cities and regions in China, including
Hong Kong and Macao, and some 60 sites across 27 countries and
regions, including Japan, the ROK, Singapore, Canada and USA.
