Business Chinese Test (BCT) is an international standardized test designed to assess the Chinese proficiency of non-native speakers engaged in business activities. It is especially used by companies to certify or evaluate the level of their employees.
The BCT consists of a writing test and a speaking test, which are independent of each other. The writing test is divided into two levels, namely, the BCT (A), and the BCT (B). The different levels of the BCT can meet some of the levels in the Chinese Language
Test takers who are able to pass the BCT (A) can understand and use Chinese language to accomplish the tasks of daily communication and basic business communication.
Test takers who are able to pass the BCT (B) can understand and use the Chinese language to complete more complex business communication tasks.
Test takers who took the BCT (Oral), can understand and use the Chinese language to complete kinds of different business communication tasks, and therefore their language competence can be divided into five proficiency levels.
Proficiency levels according to the BCT system can be compared with HSKK, BCT, YCT and with levels according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the Interagency Language Roundtable scale (ILR) and the Chinese Language Proficiency Scales for Speakers of Other Languages (CLPS). The indicative relation is as shown in next table.