Singapore PM Wong advises learning Chinese through music and TV dramas
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, speaking in Chinese, stressed the importance of bilingual education and called on families to create an environment in which children would be interested in learning Chinese. This was reported by ECNS.
Chinese language courses
According to Wong, more than 1,000 students have taken advantage of expanded advanced Chinese language courses this year. About a quarter of first-year secondary school students attend such courses.
The head of government cited the example of The Straits Times journalist Alyssa Wu, who improved her language skills through Chinese-language entertainment content. In particular, she watched television series, including “Pursuit of Jade,” and listened to songs by pop performer Jay Chou.
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Language and cultural connection
Wong noted that watching dramas and listening to songs can help with learning Chinese, and urged people to choose interesting ways to practise the language.
He also said that dialects remain a cultural connection, mentioning that he watched the Teochew version of the film “Dear You.” In addition, the national libraries of Singapore and China will jointly hold an exhibition later this year dedicated to the four great classical novels.
According to Wong, Chinese has become the common language of Singapore’s Chinese community. He stressed that it should continue to be supported as part of the country’s multicultural identity and as a bridge to Chinese-speaking communities around the world.
