Introduction of Hanban

The Chinese Language Council International is composed of members from 12 state ministries and commissions, namely, the General Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Overseas Chinese Affaires Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (China Radio International), the State Press and Publications Administration, the State Council Information Office and the State Language Committee . The President of the Council is State Councilor Chen Zhili. Governed by the Council is the Office of Chinese Language Council International, known as 汉办 “Hanban” for short.

Han Ban / Hanban, is abbreviation of Pinyin (Chinese Language Office). Pinyin is a way to represent Chinese characters and express the sounds in the Chinese language using the alphabet.

Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarter) is the executive body of the Chinese Language Council International, and is committed to making the Chinese language and culture teaching resources and services available to the world. It strives to meet the demands of overseas Chinese students & educators in order to contribute to the formation of a world of cultural diversity and harmony.

Functions of Hanban

1. To make policies and development plans for promoting the Chinese language internationally under the leadership of the Chinese Language Council International;
2. To support Chinese language programs at educational institutions of various types and levels in other countries;
 3.  To guide the General Headquarters of Confucius Institute in the establishment of Confucius Institutes / Classrooms;
 4.  To set down criteria for teaching Chinese as a foreign language and undertake due evaluations; to develop and promote Chinese language teaching materials; 
 5.  To set down the certification standards for teachers of Chinese as a foreign language and to undertake due training; to send Chinese teachers and volunteers on missions abroad; to provide certification exams for teaching Chinese as a foreign language;
 6.  To set down criteria for establishing websites of Chinese teaching as a foreign language and to build a website platform for access to relevant resources;
 7.  To develop and promote different varieties of Chinese tests as a foreign language.