NZ's Chinese Language Dilemma

New Zealand's economic future is increasingly intertwined with China, yet the country faces a critical shortage in Mandarin Chinese language education—a gap that, if left unaddressed, could threaten to undermine competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Despite China being New Zealand's largest trading partner since 2013, accounting for billions in exports annually, Mandarin remains a marginal offering in most schools.

While the government has recognised Asian languages as strategically important, implementation in education has been inconsistent. Many schools lack qualified teachers, resources, or institutional support to sustain workable Chinese programs. The result is a generation of New Zealanders who can struggle to engage meaningfully with the country's most significant economic partner.

A report released earlier this year found “fewer students are learning languages now than at any time in the past 80 years”.

According to the study, produced by the University of Auckland in association with the Chinese Language Week Trust and the NZ Association of Language teachers, language learning peaked in New Zealand in the 1960s, when almost 40 percent of students learnt a second language. By 2014, the report states, the number was one in five.

With Mandarin, the number of tertiary students studying the language has dropped from 445 in 2015, to just 175 in 2024.

The consequences extend beyond trade and tourism. As China's influence in the Pacific region grows, New Zealand risks becoming diplomatically disadvantaged. Language is not merely a communication tool—it's a gateway to cultural understanding, relationship-building, and strategic insight. When New Zealand representatives negotiate trade agreements, discuss security concerns, or collaborate on climate initiatives, those who speak Mandarin gain invaluable advantages in reading nuance, building trust, and understanding Chinese political and cultural perspectives.

Chinese speaking journalists are also thin on the ground in New Zealand, although their value in media organisations is increasing. Journalism training doesn’t really address language training at all, except in Te Reo. A basic understanding of Mandarin would be a useful tool in the kit of any young journalist hustling for a job – whether it be inside New Zealand, or globally.

This educational deficit also creates a dangerous dependency as New Zealand increasingly relies on translators and intermediaries to facilitate crucial interactions. Nations like Australia have invested substantially in Asian language education, potentially leaving New Zealand behind in regional diplomacy and commerce.

The tourism and education sectors suffer as well. As Chinese tourists and international students return post-pandemic, businesses and institutions with Mandarin-speaking staff gain competitive advantages. Yet New Zealand struggles to produce sufficient graduates with professional-level Chinese language skills.

Looking forward, the impacts will compound. Artificial intelligence and machine translation cannot replace human cultural competence. As regional dynamics shift and New Zealand seeks to navigate complex relationships between major powers, linguistic and cultural expertise becomes not merely advantageous, but essential.

Producing graduates prepared for an Asia-centric future, and recognising language education as the strategic investment it truly is a policy choice that will shape New Zealand's future prosperity, influence, and place in the region.

Asia Media Centre