The coming century will belong to China. Over the past two decades, the nation has emerged as a global economic superpower. China's dominance of world trade, the far reach of its businesses across all sectors, its economic might and its ability to continue to grow despite pressures elsewhere are second to none.

Here in the UAE, our trade links with the East remain strong and continued investment and partnerships have given us a unique perspective. But if this is to continue in the future, educationists need to focus on delivering graduates who have the ability to succeed on the global stage. And being able to succeed means being able to communicate clearly and effectively. Not surprisingly, there is a growing demand by students to learn Cantonese and Mandarin, along with the traditional languages of commerce. But this push for Chinese languages must take place in lockstep with better teaching of Arabic.