The Chinese Language Foundation (CLF) was incorporated in May 2004 as a charitable trust to promote Chinese as the second international language (after English) to be taught within the curriculum in New Zealand schools.

Its vision is to broaden the awareness that Chinese language is a key to cultural interaction and a means for the communication of ideas and values with a country which will increasingly impact, socially and economically on our future.

It is also a bridge for promoting friendship and understanding between the people of New Zealand and China as well as among New Zealanders of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.

CLF is managed by a Board of Trustees and a Treasurer. It is guided by a distinguished panel of Patrons, Vice Patrons and advisors.

The CLF Schools Network, with over 40 member schools, is active in providing resources, networking and professional development opportunities for New Zealand teachers of Chinese.

The three CLF Chinese Language and Culture Camps - annual December events since 2005 - have been well received and a 2008 Camp for intermediate students, as well as a Camp for Chinese language teachers, are in the pipeline.

CLF administered the MOE China Scholarships for Chinese Teachers in 2006 and it has co-managed this NZ-China joint government initiative in 2007 with the Confucius Institute of Auckland (CI). This arrangement is in place until 2009.
Download scholarship winners list.

In November 2007, CLF entered into a joint venture with CI to further raise the standard and scale of Chinese language programmes in New Zealand schools. The five-year target is to increase the number of students learning Chinese to 50,000, increase the total number of schools teaching Chinese to 120, and to raise the number of teachers/trainers/assistants by 40%.

By pulling resources, the joint venture has secured the services of a CI/CLF Trainer/Coordinator and a CI/CLF Administrator. Both are based at the Confucius Institute in Auckland's CBD.

The CI/CLF joint venture is a strong partnership working closely with the National Chinese Language Advisor (Dr Han Xi ),Ministry of Education Senior Advisors in Languages (Glenda Koeford and Margaret Hardiman), NZ Chinese Language Association (President, Laytee George), Asia:NZ Schools Coordinator (Janine Chin) and the Regional Language Advisors.