UPDATE: A reader points out that the classes will not be compulsory. Article amended to make note of that.

ORIGINAL: Sweden's education minister said Wednesday that all schoolchildren could be taught Chinese within 10 years, reports AFP.

If Jan Björklund's plan goes ahead, Sweden will be the first country in Europe to make Chinese classes available to all students.



“Chinese will be much more important, from an economic perspective, than French or Spanish,” Björklund told the Dagens Industri newspaper.



“Not everyone in the business world speaks English,” said Björklund. “Very qualified businesses are leaving Europe to move to China.”