Smack in the middle of the financial centre of the world's fastest growing economy a group of young Chinese professionals push their way into a semi-circle.

In the centre is a lone, bewildered-looking foreigner eyeing a crowd that has materialized out of thin air. He has only one quality that would incite so much interest: He speaks English.

English corners are a popular feature of Shanghai, driven in part by the city's desire for a higher worldwide profile and in part by its fast-growing economy.

One of them, sponsored by the China Daily-owned Shanghai Star, is held every Sunday at a small park in the city's financial district. It attracts a mix of professional people looking to flex their English muscles. And they are not shy in their single-minded desire to get a word in.

"I come here every week. We talk about anything we think is interesting," says Lily Lee, an engineering student.

She is quickly interrupted by another man, who starts out by asking questions but moves on without waiting for a response to explain that he thinks learning English is important for his work.

He is not alone. Learning English may very well be the most popular hobby in the world.

According to the British Council, there were some 750 million speakers of English as a foreign language worldwide while another 375 million were studying at the turn of the millennium.

In China, there is a huge market for English learning that has not gone unnoticed. This month, the industry's Language Magazine did a cover feature on the improvement of English studying in the country.

In Shanghai, the influx of foreign businesses is fuelling the English fires. English is more common here than just about anywhere else in the mainland.

These folks, gathered at the downtown park on a sunny Sunday morning, are part of the reason why.

The not so uncommon foreigners are another part. They are easy to spot walking, Starbucks coffee in hand, towards upscale department stores or the trendy shops at nearby Xintiandi, popular with local yuppies.

The crowd at the park is a different breed. They are young professionals, students and a few workers looking for a leg up.

The professionals set this particular corner apart from two other popular alternatives at the People's Park and Jing'An Park, also held on Sundays.

These corners are fuelled by a simple common desire which Audrey Tao, who works for an exhibition company exhibition company, makes clear: "I had a good time talking to you... maybe we can meet at the English corner again next week."

(China Daily April 20, 2005)