Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS May 20, 1997

Urumqi Xinjiang Ribao, 03/06/97, article by Zhang Jun

"Chinese Language Standard Text Shows 'Temperature Rise' in Xinjiang"

Not long ago 2,100 nationality students in Urumqi and Kashi took the

National Chinese Language Standard Text.

Called the Chinese language "thank you," the National Chinese Language

Standard Text, since first being introduced on a trial basis to

Xinjiang by the Xinjiang Finance and Economics Institute in June of

last year, because of its prominent scientific and practical nature,

has produced a strong echo in all higher schools in Xinjiang, and has

drawn a high degree of attention in the autonomous region.

For this reason the autonomous region's people's government specially

issued a document, which was disseminated to all institutes of higher

learning (including some middle schools) in order to raise the Chinese

language level of Xinjiang's nationality students, so that, through the

study of the Chinese language, they would obtain more and wider

knowledge.

On 12 January the National Chinese Language Test began to be taken at

the Xinjiang Finance and Economics Institute, Xinjiang University, and

Kashi Teachers College. According to a briefing given by the

responsible person at the Xinjiang examination point, this time the

number of examination halls increased from last year's one to this

year's three; an examination hall was opened in southern Xinjiang; the

number of persons taking the test increased from last year's 1,600 to

this year's 2,100; and the setting up of the examination hall in

southern Xinjiang had been arranged beforehand on the initiative of the

Kashi Teachers College. The National Chinese Language Standard Test has

really shown a "temperature rise" in Xinjiang.