More foreign friends are welcomed to learn Chinese, as it opens a window to modern China and the exploration of Chinese civilization, a spokesperson said Thursday.

Chinese foregn ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. (Photo: CMG)

Chinese foregn ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular press conference in response to the continued global rise of Chinese language fever ahead of the 17th UN Chinese Language Day.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Chinese being designated as an official language of the UN, Guo said, noting the UN Secretariat, together with Chinese missions overseas, held events in New York, Geneva, Vienna and so on to celebrate the occasion.

"As one of the oldest language in the world, Chinese dates back thousands of years and is spoken across the world. It carries the oriental wisdom of 'harmony in diversity' and 'peaceful coexistence,' and bears witness to the UN's peacekeeping mission over the past eight decades," Guo said. "Language is the vehicle of civilization. Every civilization is an indispensable and valuable part of humanity's shared heritage, deserving of our collective appreciation and protection."

Addressing the Chinese language fever, Guo remarked, "We have seen an increasing number of foreign journalists posing questions in fluent and authentic Chinese during our press conferences. We applaud their efforts. We welcome more foreign friends to learn Chinese, as it opens a window to modern China and the exploration of Chinese civilization."