China's foreign language education policies along with the Belt and Road Initiative's implementation: Retrospect and prospect.

This paper analyses China's foreign language education policies (FLEPs) from ancient China to the present, examining their origin, development, reform, present situation, and future direction. The analysis offers detailed insights into the background, content, and impact of crucial FLEPs in China at different times. The study highlights the role of English as a lingua franca in communication between China and the rest of the world and the consequent focus of China's FLEPs on English. However, with the advent of the Belt and Road Initiative (B&R), attention has gradually shifted towards foreign language education (FLE) in other languages. The main focal point of this study is on the reform and adjustment of China's FLEPs to meet the new situation, opportunities, and challenges along with the B&R's implementation, aiming at offering theoretical and practical references for improving FLEPs in China and the Belt and Road nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]