Cayce, SC (WLTX) –  The relationship betweenChina and the United States continues to grow.

According to the South Carolina Department of Commerce, in 2009 China bought about $869 million in goods from our state, making them one of the top five export markets for South Carolina.  The United States also competes with China for business. So what better way to work as friends or competitors than to know them?

East Point Academy in Cayce is the first in South Carolina to offer a Chinese-language immersion program.

Inside the school well-known songs, such as “It’s a Small World,” sound a little bit different because these kids are singing it in Mandarin.

“We have students from all races, cultural backgrounds,” said director and founding principal Renee Mathews, “and it’s just a beautiful montage of children.”

Mandarin is a form of Chinese and is spoken by more than 700 million people around the world.

More of the story, and a video, here.