Want to see the world? Talk first!

51Talk was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange June 10, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Beijing-based 51Talk offers online learning courses at affordable prices. Its teachers mainly come from North American and the Philippines countries, and they speak English as their native or official languages.

At present, Philippine teachers account for 80 percent of its total instructors.

Some people may doubt the Filipino pronunciation style, but Huang said it was nothing to worry about, as 51Talk maintains a strict recruiting process. From initial audition to final appointment, only 3 percent of candidates work as online teachers.

"Also, according to the Business English Index, Filipinos enjoy a high level of business English mastery in the world," Huang added.

"It's critical for students to learn English with foreign teachers through a one-to-one course, and this helps a student to get a better leaning environment. Besides, learning online by video chatting is more convenient for students and saves their commuting time. Students can take lessons during their free time anywhere," Huang said.

To expand the brand's influence, Huang decided to go global after several years of research and development.

On June 10, 51Talk was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming the first domestic company in online education to go public abroad.

"Going public is not the destination but a beginning for another stage. And I still regard 51Talk as a rising startup as it has much room to upgrade in the future," he said.