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- One in four of the world’s people is Chinese.
- Chinese is the eighth most widely spoken community language in Australia.
- Almost 200 000 Australians speak Chinese.
- Chinese is taught initially using the same alphabet as English. Chinese characters are introduced gradually.
- Chinese grammar is relatively uncomplicated, with no plural forms or past and future tenses.
- Tones give different meanings to a word and add to the musicality of the language.
- Western Australia has a sister-state relationship with Zhejiang province, one of the richest in China.
- The Chinese economy will be the world’s largest by the turn of the century and there are active Chinese business communities in many countries including Australia.
- China ranks fifth amongst Australia’s trading partners.
- China is an important customer for Western Australian wool, iron ore and natural gas.
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