Because the Government has told them to be so.

English has created 1 million Chinese teaching jobs, 10 million support jobs, a whole publishing economic sector worth US$2 billion annually and it has increased university enrollment and that helps generate income to pay back soft bank loans that financed campus expansion.

Do NOT be fooled, English is NOT important. It is only for test taking and NOT communication.

It is determined by market demand.

The strength of mastering a foreign language, like English can provide job-hunters more
opportnites to get a desired job with high salary.

And look at the number of countries whose offical language is English. To get involved in the
globalization, we should and have to learn this universal language.

Students are forced to learn English to pass the exams, especially those who are preparing for
studying abroad.

English is the language of 'Merica. 'Merica is the strongest economical partner, as everything in the Stars'n Stripes countary is "made in China".

Buy speaking english, you get to be closer to the 'Merican dream than others, so it's only natural everyone is pressured to get better in that specific array

I feel different, why r foreigners so obsessed with Chinese language?
Everyone I meet in Shanghai wants to learn Chinese.
And I don't care about English so much, I love Germany.
Also, English is called English because people in England speak it, not 'Merican, why don't we call it "Americansh"?
Just saw another example of ‘Merican arrogant. Immature.……

We know you're different Wenna. By saying it, you sounds like every other people yelling "i'm different". "In China, do as Chinese do" you once said. This is why every foreigner in China want to learn Chinese.

So why Chinese want to learn english? Because they wanna come to 'Merica.

As for why english isn't called 'Merican, well you don't seem open mided enough to understand. I'll tell you in a few years

“Do in Rome as Rome does” I think it‘s English, isn't it? So I say "Do in China as Chinese does", why it's so hard for u to follow?
I am not yelling I'm different, I am saying not all Chinese r like what u said, there r a lot Chinese just like me.
And Chinese learn English because we want to go to 'Merica? Wake up please! Do u know how much money does ur country own China?
Again, I prefer to live in Europe or Africa.
Also I don't mind to learn more about "English", I know there r a lot I don't know, but I feel ok, I am learning, and I already know much more than I supposed to in my age, I am quite satisfied, kind of a little worried about Mr. 'Merican. But we have another old saying, it's never to old to learn.
BTW, feel a little bit sick when someone shows off about how wealthy he is, and also to criticize Chinese girls when he has a Chinese girl friend, show some self-respect please.

Interresting Wenna, you really seem different from the others, because you're "ok" about being ignorant. As i stated below, we know you're different.
As for the economy, it is a well known fact 'Merica owes money to China. Because China produces a lot of stuff, yet the main countary to support China's production is 'Merica. Offer and demand. The offer is insanely high (you need to create jobs) and the demand is low. So basically, 'Merica encourages big consumerism to support the countary that are ready to loan money so 'Merica continues to buy goods from them. Who is winning there? It's hard to say. 'Merica would lose all the stuff made in China (which amount to a lot of things, even those 4th of july small flags), while a vast amount of Chinese would lose their job while they look at their economy crumble to dust.

It's never to late to learn, you said. Well learn why the bonds between China and 'Merica are so tight that people "different than you", which means a lot of people, want to learn English so they can feel closer to 'Merica.

Well, what should I say? No wonder u have problem to make Chinese friends. U don't listen, u just want to be picky and argue with the part u r good at.
I work for Canadian and they speak English as well, so I want to tell u, it's not all about 'Merica!
If u still want to argue, try to get the point.
If it's 5years ago, I met some 'Merican like u, I’m sure I would not be able to speak English and would not try to learn it. Will be like French. But anyhow, I am more mature and will not hate or love a country or language or cultural because of one people.

Having trouble getting moar Chinese friends is irrelevant to the question. The question is "why are chinese people so obsessed with english language". I'm doing my best to give elaborate answers, pointing tirelessly the economic bonds between the two countaries, which explains why so many Chinese people are pressured into learning english, because let's face it, they do not learn english to be able to read Hobbes or E.A.Poe, but to be able to converse with a strong economic partner.

So while I do my best to give good answers to the best of my knowledge, you talk about yourself. "I feel different", "I prefer to live in Europe or Africa", "I work for Canadian","I am more mature".

Think, wenna : what would Alcala do?

Have work to do. Envy u have nothing to do but argue with a Chinese girl, no wonder everyone wants to be boss.

And BTY, I have a degree on literature, not economy.
Sorry it‘s about me again, I am just self centered.

no matter how the saying goes" in rome do as the romans do " .. its a matter of fact that even in china ,chinese do as the westerners do . copy and copy and copy ..
and by the way foreigners learn chinese just to learn something new( apart from students )...

not all the chinese people are very obsessed in English ,,,

sorry:),,,,

i prefer CHINESE, especially chinese calligraphy,,,,,,,

English is a useful tool to help Chinese people communicate with the outside world.

Foreigners are learning Chinese as a tool to know more about China too.

because Chinese is too hard to learn

Ok, English has pretty much been decided to be the world language. Just get used to it already, it's not going to change anytime soon.

"English" nowadays is a massive collection of other languages so it makes sense to use it everywhere. It's already used for science publications, politics, business, trade, air craft, etc. etc. etc.

Also, NO ONE "SPEAKS" CHINESE.

There is Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, plus all sorts of local dialects, all different spoken languages. Saying "I speak Chinese" is like saying "I speak Asian" or "I speak European". You could say that there is a WRITTEN Chinese language, but even that's different in places (traditional and simplified...)

Plus, it will be easier for everyone to understand my orders when I become the first emperor of the world as I will issue them in English.

what the hell? english just doesn't mean america.

English is an international language, and it has been successfully promoted in China.

All caps and poor grammar doesn't help your case.

Besides, you're bloody wrong guv'ner... America's right wicked, so don't get your knickers in a twist.

As an example, after a chin wag with me mates, I went and had the ol' slap and tickle with some random bird in the loo.It was the dog's bollocks.