Confucius Institutes welcomed in Central Asia

Confucius Institutes, named after China's most famous philosopher, are becoming ever more popular in Central Asian countries. The Chinese government-sponsored schools aim to introduce the Chinese language and culture to foreign students. This year marks the 10th anniversity of the foundation of Confucius Institutes.

Alina Molokova has been learning at the Confucius Institute for three years. She now speaks fluent Chinese and is fascinated by calligraphy. Like Alina, students of all ages in Tashkent regularly gather to practice what they say is the most difficult, but at same time a intriguing form of writing. Calligraphy isn't compulsory. They come purely out of their interest.

"Calligraphy is really interesting. We don't have that in ours. I really love Chinese, and I'm going to enter a university in China." Tashkent Confucius Institute student Alina Molokova said.

"Students are interested in writing with a brush, not because they want to be calligraphers, and that's also not what we want them to be. We want them to have some interest in Chinese culture in general. From the perspective of the students, they have very practical purposes. Many of the students' parents are business people working in China and traveling between Tashkent and Beijing or Zhejiang Province many many times a year. They believe that to know some Chinese can help facilitate their parents business." Tashkent Confucius Institute teacher Tuo Jianming said.

With one side hoping to spread its cultural influence in the region and the other side eager to learn about it, Confucius Institutes are welcomed in cities across Central Asia.

Many students say that as a former part of the Soviet Union, they often put great emphasis in learning about Russia and other Stan countries, while knowing little about the world's economic powerhouse that lies just nextdoor.

"I need to study Chinese well. China is developing very rapidly. We need to catch up with China's amazing growth." A Confucius Institute student said.

The Confucius Institute started very small in Central Asia. Ten years ago there were only ten to twenty students in each school, but now the burgeoning economic ties between China and Central Asia are attracting thousands of them in each city. And last year, the number almost doubled, partly because of President Xi Jinping's call of building up a Silk Road economic belt.

Central Asia was once a crucial juncture in the Silk Road, which linked China all the way to the heart of the Roman Empire. For centuries, trade boomed at this crossroads of civilizations. But the maritime era made Central Asia an almost forgotten place in modern trade.

"When two peoples try to develop trade ties, mutual understanding in culture is crucial. Confucius Institutes are a very smart way of creating a good image of China, and at the same time helping our people learn the language for practical purposes." Asst. professor Taissya Marmontova with Eurasian National Univ's Regional Studies Department said.

Today, Chinese and Central Asians are working together to revive the ancient routes toward prosperity.