I supervised a beautiful married Chinese law student's work while at the U of MN Law Library named Joy. That was her English name; I never really got her Chinese one. This was in a reclassification project of various books. Basically, just changing the Call Numbers.

She said that in China students are picked for whatever role they might play in their society rather young. The gifts-- education being one of them-- are given to those who merit them at a very young age. She got to learn English very young. This was back in 1988-1989 that I supervised Joy. I do not know what China society would be like today.

Joy was on the fast track probably before she was 10. She learned English and the like very young because much was expected of her.

I doubt if their society back then would bother teaching English to anyone not in some position later on to use it.