Navigation for Insight

Primary school Mandarin lessons

China is this country's second largest trading partner but there are fears that scant knowledge of China's culture and language is hampering New Zealand business.

The number of students learning Mandarin is only just higher than those taking Latin, while thousands more choose to learn French.

The Prime Minister, John Key says the situation is woeful and he wants more New Zealanders to learn the Chinese language.

What's needed to make that happen? And how far are schools responding to an increasing focus on China?

Sally Round investigates.