Mark Kirk: “I thank my partner, co-chair of the U.S.- China Working Group, on this amendment. I had the honor of serving on the Paul…”

“I thank my partner, co-chair of the U.S.- China Working Group, on this amendment. I had the honor of serving on the Paul Simon Exchange Commission for the United States to look at his vision of having a million Americans study abroad. That is a very important goal, very worthwhile because of America's position in the world. But, quite frankly, I think there are two language groups vital to the future security, to the economy, and to the diplomacy of the United States, and that is Arabic and Chinese. This amendment highlights that priority for the United States, for our future. Obviously, we know with the global war on terror the importance of the command of the Arabic language. But we also see China rising and projected by the IMF on 19th Street here in Washington, D.C. to be the second largest economy on Earth. And it makes sense for the United States to place its highest diplomatic priority on relations with the number two economy of the 21st century, which is China. Currently, we have reports that there are over 200 million people in China who are or have studied English, but in the United States the total number of Americans who are studying or have studied Chinese number just 28,000. We need to redress that balance to make sure that we have a full engagement with China, with her rising economy, with her very important diplomacy with regard to North Korea, Iran, et cetera, and obviously with military developments there.…”