Mandarin and minority languages both necessary: official

Beijing (CNS) -- "We must be aware of polarities: one is popularizing mandarin among minorities to support assimilation; the other is minorities speaking only their own languages, which is regarded as a shallow form of nationalism," said Tondrub Wangben, deputy director of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

At a regular press conference by information office of the state council in Beijing on May 17, a reporter proposed the question of how to balance the study of mandarin and minority languages as well.

At a regular press conference of the information office of the state council in Beijing on May 17, a reporter posed the question of how to balance the study of mandarin and minority languages as well.

Tondrub said it is necessary for people to speak mandarin in public and dialects at home, both for sound communication purposes. The key is not to isolate minority languages and mandarin from each other.

At present, China is home to 73 radio stations and 90 television stations in ethnic autonomous areas, whose programs in nationality languages account for one quarter of total programming.