AI translation vs English: Viral post by Maths teacher sparks fierce debate in China

A maths teacher in China has started a nationwide argument over whether children should still have to learn English. Earlier this month, Tang Jiafeng said on social media that English should be an optional subject in Chinese schools. Kids, he argued, were being pushed into a foreign language before they had a firm grip on Chinese. He also asked people to stop the "blind worship of foreign imports."The timing made it land hard. AI translation tools are improving quickly, and young graduates in China face an uncertain job market. According to a New York Times report, the debate has now drawn in parents, teachers, policy analysts and a former state media editor. It touches everything from classroom workload to national identity.English is one of China's three core school subjectsSince the late 1970s, English has sat alongside maths and Chinese as a core subject.