Source:MOE

The Standard for Chinese Proficiency in International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021) (hereinafter referred to as the "Standard") has been issued recently by the Ministry of Education of China and the State Language Commission after the review by the Language and Writing Standards Examination Committee of State Language Commission. The Standard will be formally implemented on July 1, 2021 as the language standards of the State Language Commission.

In recent years, Chinese language has been playing an increasingly prominent role in international exchanges, evidenced by the expanding demand for Chinese language learning. International Chinese language circle is calling for a set of norms and standards that are scientific, standardized, inclusive, open and easy to implement, to guide all aspects of Chinese language learning, teaching, testing and evaluation, and to improve the quality of education and teaching results. This is the first time for the State Language Commission to develop a standard for foreign Chinese language learners, which is designed to describe and evaluate learners' Chinese language skills and levels in an all-round way. The promulgation and implementation of the Standard mark the further improvement of the language and writing standards system, and will provide strong support for the development of international Chinese language education.

To develop the Standard, Center for Language Education and Cooperation under the Ministry of Education referred to over 10 international language standards, and conducted extensive research on the actual situation of international Chinese language teaching in universities, primary and secondary schools and other educational institutions at home and abroad, fully solicited the opinions and suggestions of domestic and foreign experts and other interested parties, and finalized after repeated arguments and modifications.

The Standard classifies the Chinese proficiency of learners into "three stages and nine levels", uses four basic elements of the Chinese language: syllable, character, vocabulary, and grammar to form a "four-dimensional conception" and verbal communicative competence, topic task content and quantitative linguistic indices to form three evaluation dimensions, and makes Chinese listening, speaking, reading, writing and translating and interpreting the five language skills, to accurately determine the Chinese proficiency of learners.

The Standard applies to the learning, teaching, testing and evaluation in international Chinese language education and provides a normative reference for all kinds of schools, institutions and enterprises that conduct international Chinese language education. The Standard will become the proposition basis of international Chinese-related standardized and normalized language examinations and the innovative evaluation of Chinese teaching and learning. It will also provide reference for the overall design, textbook compilation, classroom teaching and curriculum test of international Chinese education around the world, and will provide important basis for the construction of various new models and platforms of international Chinese education in the era of "Internet Plus".

Annex:Standard for Chinese Proficiency in International Chinese Language Education