Although these dialects are all members of the same language family, speakers of one dialect can't understand speakers of another. Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong and Hoklo is spoken in Taiwan, in addition to Mandarin. When speaking Chinese, intonation is key. However, learning Chinese is easier than you might think.
Chinese grammar is very simple.
Start off practicing accurate pronunciation and correct tones and you'll be communicating before you know it. China is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world with a written history of 4,000 years. The Chinese invented the compass, silk, paper-making, gunpowder and printing. The Great Wall, Grand Canal and Karez irrigation system were all built more than 2,000 years ago.