IDEOLOGY AND EDUCATION IN CHINA: PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE POLICY AT THE INTERSECTION OF STATECRAFT AND STRATEGY

Abstract

This study examines the ideological foundations of foreign language education in the People’s Republic of China, arguing that language planning is inseparable from the state’s ideological strategies and international engagement. Drawing from a historical perspective that traces the evolution of Chinese education from the late imperial period to the present, it demonstrates how educational policy has consistently subordinated intercultural exchange to national interests. Foreign language instruction, rather than reflecting openness or pluralism, is deployed as a strategic instrument, valued for its developmental utility while subject to strict ideological boundaries. The analysis focuses on the political role of education as a means of regulating access to foreign knowledge and maintaining internal cohesion. In this context, foreign languages are approached not as cultural bridges, but as managed resources: imported for diplomatic and economic advantage yet carefully contained to avoid ideological disruption. This dynamic is exemplified by the case of Portuguese, whose rise in China’s academic landscape reflects wider geopolitical and economic shifts rather than cultural demand or educational reform. Its institutional expansion aligns closely with China’s foreign policy interests, especially in relation to Lusophone countries and the symbolic role of Macau.By situating language policy within the ideological architecture of the Chinese state, the article contributes to the study of international education as a form of statecraft. It also underscores the importance of aligning language promotion strategies - such as those pursued by Portugal - with the internal logics and constraints of partner countries. In doing so, it responds to the goals of this special issue by offering a critical, historically grounded account of Sino-Portuguese engagement through the lens of ideology, education, and global positioning.