(Source: "Global Times" 2026-02-27)

During my inspection tour in South Korea at the beginning of the year, the author caught up with South Korea’s release of a new round of development strategies for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with cultural and other industries, including the implementation of relevant legislation, accelerating the joint training of streaming media AI talents with Netflix, and the establishment of a digital heritage center. This trend just provides a mirror for the high-quality development of international Chinese education - when language communication enters the era of deep empowerment of AI, how can we make good use of our own technological advantages and cultural heritage?

For a long time, South Korea has used the "culture first, language follow-up" model to promote the continued growth of Korean learners around the world through film and television works, cultural tourism experiences and other channels. South Korea’s remarkable achievements in promoting Korean are due to its strategic layout and layered promotion at the national level. For example, Sejong Academy, as the core platform for Korean language promotion, has established more than 250 branch schools in more than 80 countries and regions around the world, and carries out targeted and differentiated communication. In recent years, with the help of AI empowerment strategies such as the "Fourth Basic Plan for the Development of the Chinese Language (2022-2026)", South Korea has embarked on diversified attempts, creating a variety of representative platforms such as the "Yuanshi Sejong Academy" where learners can interact virtually, and the "i-Sejong Academy" with customized AI teachers. In terms of the assessment system, the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) also plans to be fully digitalized by 2029 and introduce an AI scoring system. Other technological innovation companies such as H2K are also trying to use large model technology to convert Korean wave videos into Korean learning content, greatly improving the production efficiency of learning materials.

South Korea’s experience provides a reference for the high-quality development of international Chinese education in my country. Combining my country's cultural advantages and development reality, from technological empowerment to cultural infiltration, from differentiated promotion to value recognition, we can focus on the following four aspects:

First, activate cultural resources and create experiential communication scenarios. my country’s profound historical and cultural heritage and rich contemporary culture are the unique advantages of international Chinese education. The rise of the global "Chinamaxxing" trend has brought unprecedented opportunities to international Chinese education. On the one hand, in the field of film and television, we promote high-quality Chinese-language works such as "The Three-Body Problem" and "The Wandering Earth" to go overseas and drive language communication with the attractiveness of the content; in the field of short videos, we promote relevant life scenes such as "drinking hot water", "cooking apples" and "practicing Baduanjin" that foreigners are interested in. The natural combination of vocabulary and expressions attracts overseas young groups to take the initiative; in the cultural tourism scene, relying on world cultural heritage such as the Great Wall, special projects such as "Learning Chinese Characters with Cultural Relics" and "Chinese Studies Experience Class" are developed to allow overseas tourists to intuitively feel the charm of Chinese in cultural experiences. For example, the Business Confucius Institute at Jeju National University in South Korea previously organized Korean teachers and students to Beijing, Qingdao and other places to experience traditional crafts such as traditional Chinese painting and paper-cutting, which significantly stimulated the enthusiasm of Korean youths to learn Chinese and understand Chinese culture.

Second, strengthen technological empowerment and build an intelligent learning ecosystem. Our country has profound accumulation in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, metaverse and other fields, and can integrate the resources of domestic mature digital technology enterprises to create a "Chinese on the Cloud" immersive learning platform. This includes using VR/AR technology to restore historical and cultural scenes, developing AI Chinese teaching assistants based on large language models, supporting learners to interact with virtual characters to practice speaking, and integrating Chinese learning with social scenarios such as short videos and live broadcasts to accurately push interesting learning content through algorithms, stimulate learning interest with lightweight and interesting presentations, and promote the transformation of Chinese learning from "passive listening to lectures" to "active participation".

Third, rely on economic and w88 ties to expand application demand scenarios. In Indonesia, the monthly salary of a Chinese-speaking translator can reach nearly 10,000 yuan, and Chinese courses are more popular than English courses, highlighting the practical value of Chinese education. We can implement precise strategies for different regions and groups of people. In the "Belt and Road" countries, we can cooperate with Chinese-funded enterprises to carry out "Chinese + vocational skills" training to help local young people improve their employment competitiveness; for overseas business people, we can develop business Chinese courses and a special terminology database for cross-border e-commerce. At the same time, we will improve the digital service of China’s Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) and promote mutual recognition of credits with overseas institutions, making Chinese not only a communication tool but also a practical skill for career development.

Fourth, upgrade the promotion system and implement differentiated global layout. In the process of transformation and upgrading of Confucius Institutes, we can learn from the hierarchical promotion ideas of Sejong Academy. In the Asian Confucian cultural circle, we should focus on the linkage between cultural identity and popular culture; in Europe and the United States, rely on university sinology research institutions and local cultural organizations to promote the integration of Chinese into the national education system; in Africa, Latin America and other regions, combine educational assistance and youth exchange projects to expand the audience base. At the same time, we will strengthen localized teacher training and teaching material development to promote the true integration of international Chinese education into the local educational ecology and social environment.

Currently, international language promotion has entered a new stage driven by technology. Only by seizing the opportunities of the digital age and relying on cultural heritage and technological advantages can we use a more open attitude and innovative model to spread Chinese in communication and take root in recognition, better serve as a bridge connecting the world and enhance understanding, and inject lasting impetus into exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

(The authors are professor at the w88 casino of International Relations, w88 casino, director of the Center for Public Diplomacy and International Communication Research, and researcher at the Center for Public Diplomacy and International Communication Research)

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