China has undertaken a comprehensive revision of its primary and middle-school English textbooks, reflecting a broader shift in educational priorities to emphasize Chinese culture and national achievements. The changes, fully implemented by the start of the 2026 autumn semester, mark a departure from previous editions that featured more content centered on English-speaking countries and their customs.

The updated materials highlight historical figures such as late Qing dynasty thinker Liang Qichao, traditional festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival, and contemporary topics including China’s overseas aid initiatives and government policies promoting a "new socialist countryside" and a "community of a shared future for mankind." These revisions aim to strengthen students’ cultural confidence and support Beijing’s goal of “telling China’s story” in a global context.

While some parents and educators praise the new content for fostering national pride and aligning education with state priorities, others express concern about the potential impact on students’ English proficiency and exposure to foreign cultures. Critics argue that language learning fundamentally involves engaging with diverse perspectives and understanding other societies. They worry that an overemphasis on Chinese themes could make lessons less dynamic and diminish students’ curiosity about the broader world.

Teachers have also pointed out stylistic issues in the textbooks, noting instances of what they describe as “Chinglish”—English sentences structured too closely to Chinese thought patterns. This, they say, may inhibit students from developing natural, fluent English expression. Some educators contend that the current approach risks reducing English classes to exercises in translating familiar Chinese concepts, which could limit learners’ ability to communicate effectively in an international context.

The revision initiative is part of a wider national campaign to bolster “cultural confidence,” a concept promoted by President Xi Jinping that encourages belief in the value and vitality of Chinese culture. Since 2020, the government has banned foreign-published textbooks for younger students and enacted laws mandating patriotic education across subjects to preserve and promote traditional culture.

At a recent national education conference, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasized that textbooks must maintain a “correct political direction and value orientation,” underscoring the state’s prioritization of ideological consistency in teaching materials. The Ministry of Education began revising textbooks in 2022 following a new curriculum plan, gradually rolling out the updated English textbooks across all eligible grades by 2026.

Supporters of the reforms argue that previous English textbooks neglected significant aspects of China’s cultural heritage and that integrating this content into language learning can help students present Chinese culture effectively on the world stage. “If we want Chinese culture to reach the world, we first need to use language and forms of expression that others can understand to tell China’s stories well,” said a ministry official.

However, some educators advocate for a balanced approach that maintains English as a bridge to international understanding. One teacher cautioned that without adequate exposure to foreign cultures, students might develop “not cultural confidence, but a closened sense of self,” emphasizing that effective English education should introduce learners to global perspectives as well as their own.