JERUSALEM, June 30 -- A growing number of Israeli pupils are studying Chinese language as part of their matriculation exams.
However, when the program began in 2009, there were only a few students.
In a small classroom in Jerusalem, six students were reciting Chinese words after their teacher.
Katerina Shram, their teacher, also spoke words in Hebrew and asked them to translate into Chinese. They were quick to answer, preparing for the next day's test.
"From year to year, you can see the greater understanding that we need to communicate with the Chinese people. We need relations with them and learning Chinese gives you the option to create business relations," she told Xinhua.
According to the Israeli ministry of education, about 3,000 students are currently studying Chinese as part of their matriculation exams, in about 100 schools across the country.
There are even schools that teach Chinese as a second language as early as elementary school. In line with that trend, a few years ago, a children's TV channel introduced Kai-Lan, a cartoon show helping kids learn their first words in Chinese. The show ran for a few years and is still available in its Hebrew translation online.
Some of the students met surprised reactions to their choice to study Chinese.
"My family was shocked at first. It's just another language," said Shir Aluf, a student of Shram's Chinese class.
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