The International Curriculum for Chinese Language Education (ICCLE) represents a significant initiative by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban) to organise and describe objectives and content for a standardised Chinese language curriculum around the world. It aims to provide a reference curriculum for planning, a framework for assessing language competence, and a basis for resource development to cater for a variety of Chinese language learners, especially students at primary and high schools. In this way it is a welcome addition to the international movement to promote and support Chinese second language education around the world. It claims to be based on thorough scientific research in both past experiences and current practice in foreign and second language education globally, and to have considerably reduced the difficulties of learning Chinese by adjusting objectives and skills to suit more novice learners. The ICCLE is presented in Chinese with an English translation included in the one document. The review provided in this article is based upon the English version. The ICCLE describes the goal of Chinese language education to be the mastery of Linguistic Competencies. Linguistic Competencies is composed of four components: "Linguistic Knowledge" (phonology, vocabulary, grammar etc), "Linguistic Skills" (macroskills), "Strategies", and "Cultural Awareness." The first two of these components, "Linguistic Knowledge" and "Linguistic Skills," are considered the basis of Linguistic Competencies; the latter two components, "Strategies" and "Cultural Awareness," are provided "mainly for the benefit of language teachers." (Contains 2 tables.)