In Australia I had the option to learn Japanese and then when I went over to Europe my school specifically had a Chinese option, both for "facilitating trade and future relations"

Ngl years later I kinda only use my Chinese skills when I'm at the Chinese market and I'm trying to find the right ingredients for something, and I reckon out of my entire class I probably benefited the most out of taking the language. It isn't the cultural trade exchange they were hoping for...but hey, it's pretty useful being able to correctly identify stuff when the English stickers they plaster on the label are vague at best and incorrect at worst