Written questions

China: Diplomatic Service

Commons · Question 40312 · Tabled 21 Mar 2025 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office · Official record

Answered 28 Mar 2025

Question

Asked by Neil Shastri-Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of British diplomats posted to China have language proficiency in Chinese at CEFR level C1 or higher.

Answer

Answered by Catherine West, 28 Mar 2025

As of March 2025, 64 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) staff have achieved qualifications in Mandarin at C1 or C2 level (in the Common European Framework Reference scale) over the past five years. FCDO language qualifications are valid f...