Mandarin's entry into public schools in Saudi Arabia is a sign of growing ties between the country and China. Saudi Arabia introduced Chinese as a compulsory second foreign language after English in six of its regions' schools. Several Saudi universities have also opened programs in Chinese, and the kingdom's first branch of the Confucius Institute was inaugurated in 2023. The move is part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen strategic alliances. Chinese language teaching has become increasingly popular worldwide, but concerns have been raised about the political influence of Confucius Institutes in some countries.