29-year-old South Korean Jing Xiangzhen has recently been hired by Samsung via an open public examination. He says: “As we all know, the “threshold” to enter Samsung is very high. Every applicant that joins Samsung successfully has their own secret, so do I. Nowadays, almost everyone can speak English, but my excellence is my Chinese. Chinese is my “new English” in the workplace.” He says that one of the secrets which helped him get hired by Samsung successfully is his good Chinese.
Reports like this have caused no small amount of controversy. Is Chinese really that important? Some people think that the media is sensationalizing and exaggerating how functional and influential knowing Chinese can be. Others try to keep a neutral attitude and view these changes skeptically, although they believe it might someday become true, at least to a certain extent.  On the other hand, some people are very loyal supporters of the viewpoint, telling people by their actions and experiences that Chinese has become the “new English” in the workplace.
Here’s an article from the South Korean "Central Daily News" on July 27, titled “Job-Seekers Say that Chinese is Now the "New English”:
“Once upon a time, as long as people could speak fluent English and had graduated from the United States, it was not difficult for them to enter the larger and, more competitive corporations. However, times have changed. Now, young Korean graduates from even the most famous universities in the United States are scrambling to add Chinese proficiency to their resumes. The reason is that just speaking fluent English cannot guarantee that one will stand out from others when on the job-hunt. Whereas before these students had advantages because they knew both Korean and English, the situation has now changed significantly. The Mandarin Chinese training schools in Seoul, Korea are now packed with students. Many of these people are also studying abroad, returning home just for the holidays.”
While it certainly seems that the momentum of Chinese as the "new English" in the workplace has spread to South Korea, what is the situation in other countries throughout the world? University of Illinois sophomore Andy Smith says: "Today, almost everyone can speak English; there is no distinction between you and others if you only speak English. Chinese has become the “new English," as it can distinguish you from your competitors.” In the U.S., Chinese is being paid more and more attention to. For example, Antonio Parker, a 23-year-old student living in Houston, has picked Chinese up again after two years. Recently, he has been learning Chinese on eChineselearning.com because he thinks Chinese will be good for his job search, and it will help to make up for his poor English. He says: "If you can speak both English and Chinese, your value is much higher to the company, and similarly, when it comes to investment banks and the financial industry, your starting salary will be higher than that of employees who speak other languages.” In the eyes of foreigners, like Parker, Chinese has become one of the most popular languages learned by others world-wide. Many professionals think that learning Chinese plays a vital role in opening up the Chinese market.
Today, if Chinese is so important, then what are the methods and secrets to learning Chinese? How can job seekers grasp this "stepping stone" language better when joining companies? We consulted Professor Xu, who teaches Chinese as a foreign language at Beijing Language and Culture University, about this problem. She said, "There are many methods of learning Chinese, but one of the most convenient and effective ways is to learn Chinese interactively online with professional Chinese teachers. According to my years of teaching and research experience, online foreign language teaching institution like eChineselearning are good choices. There are professional teams of teachers from different famous universities and lots of full curricula options. The various levels of Business English Courses, from introductory to advanced, are the favorites among job-seekers. "
Alfred Guelph, responsible for opening up the Siemens market in China, says "Since the company was sending me to China, my colleague recommended eChineselearning.com to me. Frankly speaking, it has helped me significantly. The Business Chinese I have learned from eChineselearning.com often gives me a leg up when I carry out negotiations that would otherwise have little hope. So, I am really grateful for my colleagues and teachers.