ASTANA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- At a light-rail station, passengers can buy tickets with a tap of the screen, with instructions available in Chinese, Kazakh, Russian and English. Outside, a ride-hailing driver greets passengers in halting Chinese. At restaurants, Chinese-language menus are becoming increasingly common.
Across Central Asia, Chinese is becoming an increasingly familiar part of everyday life, reflecting a growing interest in the language across the region.
In a classroom at the Confucius Institute at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, students spend the evening repeating Chinese phrases and answering questions.
After a day's work, 26-year-old Aiym Naurzbayeva joins more than 100 local learners for evening Chinese classes.
Naurzbayeva works for a local logistics company, where she regularly deals with Chinese business partners. The experience has shown her the opportunities that speaking Chinese can open up. She started learning the language in September.
"I hope to study in China next year and, after completing my studies, return and continue working in Kazakhstan-China cooperation," she said.
The Confucius Institute was jointly established by Lanzhou University and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Deng Hong, the institute's Chinese director, said interest in learning Chinese has continued to grow in recent years, with students ranging in age from 7 to 70.
The institute is also a center for Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), or Chinese Proficiency Test, serving more than 2,000 test takers each year. The number of applicants has continued to rise.
A similar trend can be seen in Tajikistan. Sun Jing, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at Tajik National University, said the institute enrolls students twice a year, admitting more than 1,000 students each time. But the number of applicants exceeds 1,500 each time.
"Some parents travel long distances to bring their children to learn Chinese," she said.
Beyond Confucius Institutes, Chinese language learning is becoming increasingly diverse in Central Asia, with private language schools and individual tutoring growing in popularity.
In Astana, a search for "Chinese language courses" on a local lifestyle services platform yielded listings for 136 Chinese-language training institutions. Other major cities in the region also have dozens or even hundreds of similar institutions.
At the "Laoshi" Educational Center in Almaty, classrooms were filled with children, students and working adults studying together.
Tatyana Kaukenova, director of the center, said more local people are choosing to learn Chinese as economic, trade, logistics and technological ties between Kazakhstan and China deepen.
The center now offers classes at different levels. Kaukenova and her colleagues have also developed customized teaching materials incorporating Kazakhstan's local culture and traditions to help students learn and use Chinese more effectively.
Private tutoring has also emerged as a new trend. Roza, who completed her studies at the Confucius Institute at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, now works as a private Chinese tutor and teaches 15 teenagers.
"Chinese culture is fascinating, and the Chinese language has opened a window for us to observe China," she said.
The growing interest in Chinese across Central Asia is no coincidence. Growing economic and trade ties, cultural exchanges and more favorable policies have helped make Chinese more than just a classroom language, opening doors to new opportunities for young people across the region.
Baikazak Sultanbekov, a Kyrgyz student at Jalal-Abad State University, has been learning Chinese for more than two years. Since Aug. 20, Kyrgyz citizens have been eligible for a 240-hour visa-free transit program and a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Hainan, China's southernmost province.
"I was very happy when I heard the news. It means my dream of seeing the sea in Hainan may soon become a reality," he said.
"All my family fully supports me in learning Chinese," said 17-year-old Muslima, who studies at the Confucius Institute at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies in Uzbekistan.
During a study trip to Xi'an in 2025, she was deeply impressed by the city's historical sites and culture, sparking a strong interest in Chinese culture.
"I really want to see more of China," she said.
Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the China Studies Center in Astana, Kazakhstan, said China's leading position in high-tech industries such as scientific and technological innovation and the digital economy has increased demand for bilingual talent in fields including artificial intelligence and financial technology, continuously driving demand for Chinese-language learning in the region.
Across Central Asia, Chinese is increasingly becoming a bridge between people, cultures and opportunities. With every new phrase learned and every conversation held in Chinese, ties between the people of the region and China are becoming more tangible. ■
