During the last few years the volume of trade in the Pacific region has overtaken that of the Atlantic. Consequently, an increasing number of universities are placing greater emphasis on research into the economics, politics, and culture of Oriental countries, including of course, the study of their respective languages.
近年來亞洲太平洋圈的貿易總額已超過大西洋，很多大學紛紛加強東亞經濟、政治、文化等方面的研究，其中包括語文。