Hanban also known as Confucius Institute Headquarters, is the colloquial abbreviation for the Office of Chinese Language Council International. It was originally called the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, which was established in 1987.According to Hanban’s official website, Hanban is “a public institution affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education” and is committed to “providing Chinese language and cultural teaching resources and services worldwide”. Hanban’s goals include “making Chinese language and culture teaching resources and services available to the world”, “meeting the demands of overseas Chinese learners”, and “contributing to the formation of a world of cultural diversity and harmony”. Hanban aims to cultivate knowledge and interest in the Chinese language and culture around the world, especially in people who are not native speakers of Chinese. Hanban has worked “closely with overseas organizations to develop Chinese language courses in their respective countries”.
