Chinese Enthusiasm for Spanish Language Outpaces University Teacher Supply
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The Cervantes Institute revealed a notable 12.6% increase in Spanish language learners in China, creating high demand for teachers, while Brazil recorded a decline in learner numbers.
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
In China today, there are approximately 66,000 students studying Spanish, with classrooms filling up faster than universities can provide teachers.
This was revealed by the Cervantes Institute in Beijing, as it celebrates the 20th anniversary of its branch’s opening there.
According to the annual report “Spanish in the World 2026,” the number of people enrolling in Spanish studies in China rose by 12.6% between 2023 and 2025 across philology departments, elective courses, and Spanish-as-a-foreign-language programs. The language is currently taught in 31 Chinese cities.
The institute’s director, Luis García Montero, summarized the issue in one sentence: demand continues to rise since the pandemic, “and we simply need more teachers.”
Therefore, the institute has placed teacher training at the top of its priorities.
Globally, Spanish speakers are approaching 640 million, including more than 520 million who speak it as a native language, positioning Spanish as the third most spoken language after Chinese and Hindi.
Ironically, Brazil, surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries, recorded a 46% decline in the number of its Spanish learners following legislative changes in its public schools.
