"The BBC Business Chinese" (basic, better, and best in three volumes) is a comprehensive Chinese language textbook series built on international commerce and cross-cultural communication knowledge and applications. Divided into elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels, this series emphasizes cultivating learners' awareness of international business culture, enriching their knowledge of global commercial practices, and enhancing their cross-cultural communication skills and practical application abilities - achieving multiple teaching objectives including language proficiency, cultural awareness, and intercultural competence with optimal efficiency. Designed for Chinese learners worldwide ranging from complete beginners to advanced levels, the series specifically targets pre-employment, in-service, re-employed, and promoted expatriate staff assigned to Chinese branches by multinational corporations, as well as foreign managers stationed at multinational companies in China. The textbook aims to broaden learners' international trade knowledge while improving their practical working Chinese skills in listening, speaking, reading, typing, writing, and translating, along with communication competence. It provides in-depth understanding of Sino-Western cultural differences and conflicts, including their underlying causes, enabling learners to minimize workplace misunderstandings arising from cultural differences and consequently prevent potential financial losses for their companies.

Dr. Liu Meiru currently teaches at Lewis & Clark College in the United States. From 1996 to 2019, she served as Professor of International Business Chinese and Business Culture at Portland State University, where she organized and co-hosted numerous conferences on general and business Chinese pedagogy, teaching methodologies, textbook development, cross-cultural communication, and translation studies. Her previous leadership roles include: Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at Portland State University, Director and Lead Professor of Oregon's Chinese Teacher Professional Development Program, Director of the Chinese Flagship Program in China under the American Council on International Education, Consultant and expert in Chinese business culture and cross-cultural communication for U.S. multinational corporations, Asia-Pacific Division Manager and expatriate trainer for corporate clients. Dr. Liu has published over 20 academic monographs and textbooks, along with numerous research papers. Her notable publications include (but are not limited to): "BBC Practical Business Chinese for Beginners", "Chinese Characters: Fast and Easy Learning", "Chinese Express" Volumes 1-2, "Wisdom in Communication: Case Studies and Analysis for International Chinese Language Teaching and Classroom Management", "Global Perspectives on Business Chinese Teaching and Research" (co-edited), "Decoding Chinese Business Concepts" (English edition), "Stories of China" (10-volume Chinese cultural reader series), "Teaching and Translation in Chinese as a Foreign Language" (co-edited, English edition), "Challenges for English Speakers Learning Chinese: The Role of Translation in Second Language Acquisition" (co-edited, English edition), "Theoretical Issues in Chinese-English Literary Translation: Case Studies and Analysis" (co-edited, English edition), "When Translation Becomes Cultural Interpretation: Issues in Cross-Cultural Communication" (co-edited, English edition).

1. Emphasizing language skill development to effectively enhance business communication competence  
Based on the teaching objectives and professional orientation of Business Chinese, this textbook series focuses on the practicality of language knowledge, the communicative nature of language skills, and the daily applicability of Chinese culture and business knowledge. It integrates competency development into each unit's teaching components, highlighting task-based language teaching methodology that emphasizes learning by doing, using, and practicing in real international business scenarios to maximize the fulfillment of Business Chinese teaching and learning requirements. As supplementary materials, the appendices provide background and cultural knowledge related to international business activities, enabling learners to complete authentic tasks in simulated business contexts, thereby improving their practical language and communication skills for real-world international business.  


2. Highlighting practical knowledge of Chinese culture and business with a focus on real-world application  
While developing learners' listening, speaking, reading, typing, writing, and translation skills simultaneously, this series emphasizes practical knowledge of Chinese culture and business, stresses real-world application, and prioritizes skill development. It aims to facilitate international business collaboration through the medium of Chinese language within Chinese cultural contexts, treating language as the tool, international business as the content, Chinese language as the core, and international business as the complementary aspect, organically integrating international business knowledge and Chinese business culture into each unit's teaching content and practice.  


3. Focusing on cultivating cross-cultural communication competence  
To equip learners with the ability to appropriately and accurately use Chinese for presentations, inquiries, persuasion, and summarization in international business environments, this series incorporates international business knowledge and Chinese business culture into each unit's teaching content and practice. Texts demonstrate cross-cultural differences through Sino-Western business comparisons, cultivating learners' ability to understand cultural differences, overcome cultural conflicts, and conduct smooth business activities and trade cooperation. Through diverse, innovative, practical, and highly operational post-lesson exercises, cultural elements and business communication practices are embedded in texts and exercises to develop learners' practical workplace and cross-cultural communication skills in international business, enabling them to grasp implied meanings in business contexts.  


4. Guided by task-based teaching methodology, truly learner-centered  
This textbook adopts a genuinely learner-centered task-based approach, following Jane Willis' instructional framework: "Pre-task: introduction of topics and tasks; Task cycle: planning -> analysis -> implementation -> reporting; Language focus: analysis and practice." Throughout teaching components, it emphasizes learning by doing, using, practicing, translating, making mistakes, questioning, comprehending, performing, explaining, experiencing, debating, negotiating, communicating, both inside and outside the classroom, online and offline, while practicing in authentic international business scenarios. Designed business communication tasks include: paragraph dictation, situational dialogues, oral summarization, oral/written translation, dialogue creation, paired speaking practice, quick translation exercises, rhythmic chants, paragraph drills, business Q&A practice, Chinese-English matching, group discussions and presentations, surveys, case analysis, and task-based writing exercises.  


5. Supplementing "living knowledge" to enhance engagement  
This series provides learners with "living knowledge" through engaging teaching methods, rather than merely offering "silent knowledge" from textbooks. It brings knowledge to life through real cases, animates classrooms through simulations, deepens cultural understanding through experiential learning, stimulates independent thinking through teacher facilitation, and improves cross-cultural communication skills through increased classroom participation opportunities. Learners can activate "silent knowledge" through various designed business activities like speeches, presentations, drills, role-plays, mock debates, skits, simulated interviews, and rap performances. Teachers can prepare relevant scenarios beforehand, immersing students in business environments upon entering the classroom to perform prepared business dialogues.

The target audience for this textbook series encompasses three primary groups: 

(1) Business Chinese learners worldwide across academic and corporate settings - including universities, community colleges, Confucius Institutes, night schools, weekend Chinese programs, and multinational corporations' internal training platforms - whether pursuing credit or non-credit studies, along with undergraduate students specializing or minoring in Chinese studies; 

(2) Chinese language learners of all proficiency levels from absolute beginners to advanced, particularly focusing on multinational corporation personnel such as pre-departure trainees, current employees, returning staff, and promoted expatriates being assigned to Chinese branches, as well as foreign executives managing multinational operations in China; 

(3) All individuals anticipating China-related activities including academic study, employment, business ventures, or tourism. This comprehensive scope addresses the needs of diverse learners seeking both linguistic proficiency and cross-cultural business competence for China-focused professional engagements.