Here's why:
* Number of speakers: It has over 1.1 billion speakers worldwide, making it the language with the most native speakers.
* Official language: Mandarin is the official language of China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
* Global influence: With China's growing economic and political influence, Mandarin's importance continues to rise globally.
While English is often considered the "lingua franca" for international communication, Mandarin holds the top spot in terms of native speakers.