#DexterRoberts: Director of China Affairs at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana: Slip Of The Tongue: Mainland China Drops 20 Places In English Skills Rank

Dexter Roberts on LinkedIn: Slip of the tongue: mainland China drops 20 places in English skills rank

"Mainland China fell 20 places in an international ranking of English skills this year – losing ground to economic competitors and tracking a wider slump…

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"'Mainland China fell 20 places in an international ranking of English skills this year – losing ground to economic competitors and tracking a wider slump throughout Asia – but analysts said the language is still being spoken at a volume and level high enough to sustain foreign trade and investment.[']

'The international language training firm EF Education First’s 2023 English Proficiency Index placed the mainland in the 82nd spot among 113 countries and regions – and 14th among 23 Asian economies – according to its Standard English Test results.[']

'Views of English may reflect opinions about the United States at a time of strained relations, said Dexter Roberts, a former Beijing denizen and current director of China affairs with the University of Montana’s Mansfield Centre.[']

'Beijing and Washington are struggling with trade and technology disputes, as well as differences over Taiwan and the South China Sea.[']

'It’s symptomatic of a larger problem, which is less amiable relations with the West,' Roberts said."