It is no exaggeration to say that language learning is the very foundation of global competence and the most deeply effective way for students to be able to "investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action," which is the definition of global competence developed by Asia Society Vice President for Education, Tony Jackson. Using the twin lenses of "linguist" and "diplomat," Asia Society is working with a national network of 100 K-12 schools that teach Chinese in almost 30 states, with the goal of including Chinese language learning as a core component of a much larger mission to build students' global competence. Learning a new language, particularly one as challenging and as different from English as Chinese, can also play a major role in building students' self-esteem and self-confidence. It is important to recognize this social-emotional dimension to language learning, and to understand it together with the more usual attention given to language proficiency, cognitive, and academic development. This article discusses how teaching students Chinese is a means for helping students become twenty-first century global citizens.