Draven wrote:China is 1000 years past its prime. And you guys seriously think the Japanese, the Koreans and the Vietnamese would support Mandarin? I certainly don't.
I'm sorry to hit you with the cold hard fact, but in Asia, English is the only foreign language that matters. Mandarin is used in China. The end.
As China's economic, cultural, scientific, and political influence grow vastly, so will the benefits of learning Mandarin. The only reason why Mandarin WOULDN'T become the lingua franca of East Asia over the course of this century is if China suffered a devastating setback in it's development. A few grievances over history has never stopped a population from learning a language that carries with it great benefits in their professional and personal lives.