China used to be called a sleeping giant. Now, as the world's fastest growing major economy, it is well and truly awake.
British exports to the country are expected to quadruple by the end of the decade and the government wants every school, college and university to be twinned with an equivalent in China within the next five years. An estimated 20 universities and 500 schools in the UK are now teaching Mandarin, China's official language.
There are two main reasons for why it is not easy to learn Chinese for Westerners, says Dr Frances Weightman, a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the University of Leeds. Firstly, the script poses problems. There is no alphabet, just thousands of characters. There are so many that no one can give a definitive total, but it is believed to be around 60,000. Secondly, the tonal system is hard for Westerners. While the meaning of English words does not change with tone, the same is not true for Mandarin.
Four-and-a-half tones are used, meaning a single word can have many meanings. Ma, for example, can mean mother, horse, hemp, or be a reproach depending on tone.  "The tonal systems can result in a lot of ambiguity for people learning the language," says Dr Weightman. Westerners have the reputation of using the fourth tone exclusively for all words. It is a sharp falling sound, a little like how the end of a sentence with an exclamation mark sounds.
Pinyin, a system of transliterating Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet, is used by Westerners to learn basic Mandarin.
Things get tougher when students start learning characters, but language experts say a person only needs roughly 5,000 to be literate.

'It's like singing'
One thing that is easier in Mandarin is the grammar. "The grammar is not nearly as complicated as many European languages," says Dr Weightman. "For example there are no verb tenses, no relative clauses, no singular or plural."
The number of people in the UK learning Mandarin has gone up considerably in recent years, she adds. "It really appeals to kids, they find the different characters fun and grasp the different tones well, it's like singing for them. The more we demystify the language, the more people will learn it. At the moment it is still seen as exotic and a bit strange, which can put people off. But that's changing."
Ann Martin, a Mandarin teacher at the Ashcombe School in Dorking Surrey, believes part of the problem is the exam system, which isn't designed for non native speakers and is hard for them to gain good grades compared to native speakers. "As far as schools are concerned head teachers are reluctant to timetable Chinese because it is not achievable for non-native speakers," she says.
Business experts are in no doubt about how important Mandarin will become over the next few years. BBC business reporter Mary Hennock says students speaking fluent English and Chinese are going to be the executives of the future. "China's economy is growing so quickly and becoming so influential in the world economy that people can't afford to ignore it. People who want to be ahead in whatever industry need to think about China and learning Chinese."

Tips on the four Chinese tones

Tone one - A fairly high, even tone;

Tone two - A rising tone, much like the sound at the end of a sentence with a question mark

Tone three - Falls then rises. Like the second, but must dip first

Tone Four - Sharp falling tone, a little like how the end of a sentence with an exclamation mark sounds

Half tone - Pronounce words with light tones in about half the time you would a normal word, without putting emphasis on it
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Feedbacks from learners:

I am learning Chinese, and find it fun. So far, I have accidentally told someone I was pregnant (by saying 'I have..'), called my mum a horse, (wrong tone), called my boss my wife (wrong tone again), and told my girlfriend that I want to 'take advantage of my mum' (won't say that again in a hurry!!)... Learn it - it's a good laugh. I'm move to China next week to continue learning.... while I teach English there.
Gareth Williams, Cardiff, UK

I think it is brilliant that schools are opening up to the thought of teaching what is perceived as a non-core subject. Languages are a way forward, and are great stimulation for the brain, especially in young children. If Mandarin is a language of the future then I strongly believe that children should be given exposure to this, even if this is a basic understanding, its still a good foundation to work from.
Anthony Colley, High Wycombe - Bucks

I'm planning to live in China. I've studied Chinese 2 plus years. I only know about 1000 characters and read about at the first grade elementary level. I have a long way to go but am convinced it is a language worth learning. I plan on using it for the next decade and beyond.
Brian Keyes, Houston, Texas USA