STORY: Job opportunities prompt Mandarin-learning in Cambodia
SHOOTING TIME: May 18, 2024
DATELINE: May 20, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:26
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: EDUCATION

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the inauguration ceremony of Duan Hua University
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): SENG MONYNETH, Student at Duan Hua Chinese School
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): MOENG KIM LEANG, Student at Duan Hua Chinese School
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Khmer): MOEURN SOTHEA, Teacher at Duan Hua Chinese School

STORYLINE:

Cambodian students from Duan Hua Chinese School in the country's capital city of Phnom Penh have been optimistic about their future careers as their Chinese proficiency will help them seek better job opportunities.

Governed by the Association of Chinese Teochew in Cambodia, Duan Hua University, an expansion of the Duan Hua Chinese School, was opened on Saturday.

On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Duan Hua University in the capital's Pou Senchey district, Seng Monyneth, a 12th-grade student at the Duan Hua Chinese School, expressed her aspiration to pursue a university-level degree in Chinese literature.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): SENG MONYNETH, Student at Duan Hua Chinese School
"Nowadays, in our economic situation, demand for the Chinese language is on the rise. When I am fluent in Chinese, I will be able to better learn about the Chinese culture. It will be easy for me to travel in China. And my job opportunities will be high as well."

Moeng Kim Leang, also a 12th-grade student at the Duan hua Chinese School, said that Chinese proficiency could open up diverse job opportunities such as being a language interpreter, translator, or cultural liaison.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): MOENG KIM LEANG, Student at Duan Hua Chinese School
"I desire to be an interpreter of the Chinese language because it has become popular and job opportunities are high. In Cambodia, there are a lot of Chinese people, so the demand for Chinese proficiency is high."
   
Moeurn Sothea, a teacher at the Duan Hua Chinese School, was optimistic that more Chinese investors and tourists would visit Cambodia in the coming years thanks to the close ties between the two countries and peoples.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Khmer): MOEURN SOTHEA, Teacher at Duan Hua Chinese School
"The Chinese language has become popular among Cambodian students because, currently, Cambodia has good relations with China, and a lot of investments in Cambodia are from China. So, learners of the Chinese language have strong chances for good jobs with high salaries. I would like to encourage all students to turn their interest to the Chinese language because it is very useful in our communication as well as job hunting."

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron said during the inauguration of the Duan Hua University on Saturday that the university would contribute to the development of high-quality education in Cambodia.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)