
It's the world's fastest growing economy
and shows no sign of slowing down,
so striking deals with Chinese businesses
is now the top priority for every British company
that wants to stay ahead in global trade.
Now schools in the United Kingdom
want to give their students a head start
by teaching them Mandarin
- and they are making it compulsory.
Brighton College is a fee paying private school
on the south coast of Britain
and already teaches Latin, Spanish and French to its 1,200 pupils.
Students can choose between these languages,
but from the autumn,
which is the beginning of the new academic year in British schools,
every student must study Mandarin
whether they like it or not.