Why Taiwan | Office of Global Mandarin Education

More than 1.3 billion people in the world are native speakers of Mandarin, and another 1.12 billion people speak Mandarin as a second language. This major world language is one of the six international languages used at the United Nations.

Learning Mandarin is flourishing in the 21st century, and given economic, international trade, and communication needs, the market for people who can speak Mandarin can’t be underestimated. Learning Mandarin can directly enhance your competitive strength, whether in your career or in your studies.

Language, writing and culture are inseparable. Learning to speak and read the language will give you insight into the essence of Chinese culture. Learning traditional Chinese characters—which have form, phonetic, and meaning elements—will help you appreciate its profoundness and the beauty of traditional calligraphy.

Taiwan embraces freedom, and democracy, and provides a safe environment where you can feel safe walking on the street at any time of day or night. Taiwan is a democracy with a constitutional government. Freedom House, a renowned NGO, ranked Taiwan's degree of freedom as second in Asia, in its Freedom in the World 2019 report. In 2018, Forbes ranked Taiwan 14th among the world's safest places to live. Taiwan’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear example of this.

Taiwanese people are friendly and welcoming. It’s an easy place to live, with excellent transportation, and convenience stores on almost every street. Supermarkets and traditional markets are both easy to find. The areas around universities cater to all the needs that foreign visitors generally have. People in Taiwan for the very first time are sure to find it relatively easy to begin experiencing life in such a friendly and convenient environment.

Taiwan's health care system provides a comprehensive range of high-quality services. Foreign visitors who have medical needs can receive comprehensive diagnosis and treatment assistance from medical institutions, including assistance communicating.

Taiwan very successfully integrates including its traditional character script—with being a vibrant modern society with the latest hardware and software facilities. Taiwan retains the traditional Chinese festivals and customs, and elements of traditional architecture. Taiwan’s people speak Mandarin with a natural, gentle tone, and it blends the Hakka, Minnan and indigenous cultures, making it a beautiful country with cultural diversity.