Growing numbers of Chinese students are learning Portuguese and Portuguese , with the aim of securing good jobs in Latin America , where Beijing has been expanding its presence. Official figures from 2016 revealed 20,000 Chinese undergraduates were studying Spanish , compared to 20,000 in 1999 . US fretting intensified last month when El Salvador became the third Latin American nation in just over a year to switch its diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China – a decision the White House denounced as “of grave concern”. Chinese centres have opened in such places as Wuhan , Tianjin and Zhejiang . Although younger Chinese are benefiting from their country's close ties with Brazil , the Beijing has grown increasingly concerned about Brazil 's interest in the region.
Growing numbers of Chinese students are learning Portuguese and Portuguese , with the aim of securing good jobs in Latin America , where Beijing has been expanding its presence. Official figures from 2016 revealed 20,000 Chinese undergraduates were studying Spanish , compared to 20,000 in 1999 . Chinese centres have opened in such places as Wuhan , Tianjin and Zhejiang . Although younger Chinese are benefiting from their country's close ties with Brazil , the Beijing has grown increasingly concerned about Brazil 's interest in the region.