Desiring Chinese as a foreign language policy in Saudi Arabia

• Mustafa Hersi ^[2] ; Ayman Alzahrani ^[2] ; Mohammed Alharbi ^[2] ; Ahmed Qadi ^[1]
  1. [1] Umm al-Qura University

     Umm al-Qura University

     Arabia Saudí

     
  2. [2] King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Localización: Journal of multilingual and multicultural development, ISSN 0143-4632, Vol. 46, Nº. 1, 2025 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Chinese language education policies in the Arabian Gulf: New players, discourses and linguistic markets), págs. 10-25
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Studies that examine the rise of CFL policy in Saudi HE institutions are still rare. Through the language comprehensive competitiveness framework (LCCF) for the Chinese language? Consisting of policy, economic, cultural, and population competitiveness (Xu, J. 2007. 语言规划与语言教育. [Language planning and language education]. Xuelin Press), we investigate (i) various forms of discourses and materials resources the Saudi government deployed to index the values of CFL, (ii) the conception and enactment of CFL education by teachers, students, and investor(s), and (iii) suggestions that policy actors have for their institutions. The study consisted of primary and secondary data. The secondary data includes analysis of government policy documents, media outlets, and the website of the Saudi Ministry of Education, the primary data involves analysis of individual interviews and group interviews with three teachers, five students, and one investor. It was found that the leading global position of China as an economic powerhouse has led the Saudi government, with royal decree, to invest heavily in CFL policy within higher education. The LCCF shows not all its components were equally appealing to policy actors. While teachers felt all components were important for deciding to teach the Chinese language, students reported that economic and cultural competitiveness are the primary reasons for learning Chinese.