ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of language policies in education in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from an historical perspective and identifies areas of tension, challenge, and opportunity in contemporary society. It deals with a discussion on the policies surrounding Putonghua as the consistently promoted national lingua franca. The chapter discusses a critical analysis of language policies on minority groups is made to gain an insight into the changing fate of minority languages in different periods under the communist government. It describes the complex history of foreign language education since the founding of the PRC, with a focus on the contemporary policies. Language policies in education in the PRC have been closely linked to domestic and international politics. A number of strategies were put in place after the founding of the PRC to facilitate the propagation and mastery of Putonghua. The new century witnessed a huge turning point which pushed English education in the PRC to new heights.
