Trends in the development of foreign language school education in the context of international educational strategies of China and Russia

Abstract

The conducted research reveals the determination of the development of foreign language school education in China and Russia by their international educational strategies. In the context of globalization, foreign language proficiency has transformed into a key competence of the 21st century, and the school stage is recognized as the foundation for the formation of intercultural skills. Comparative analysis revealed stable trends: a decrease in the age of study initiation, an expansion of the range of languages (including mutual interest in Chinese in the Russian Federation and Russian in the PRC), increased communicative orientation, integration of the cultural component and digitalization. It is established that these transformations are directly conditioned by the strategic goals of states to strengthen global positions and cultural and humanitarian influence. Despite the similarities (early start, dominance of English, technologization), differences in the scale of implementation have been identified: China's global reach contrasts with Russia's regional orientation. The study highlights the role of foreign language school education as a strategic resource for bilateral cooperation and identifies key challenges: the balance of globalization with linguistic sovereignty, regional access inequality, and staffing shortages.