Silk Road Research/Article

The article "The Belt and Road Initiative and Foreign Language Strategic Talent Cultivation" was written by Professor Cao Deming, former president of Shanghai International Studies University, and published in the second issue of "New Silk Road Journal", which is sponsored by Shanghai International Studies University, edited by Professor Ma Lirong, and published by Social Sciences Literature Press. The "Belt and Road" initiative, based on the spirit of understanding, tolerance, cooperation, and win-win, provides China with a "Chinese solution" for global governance, which not only more powerfully promotes global economic cooperation, but also promotes the development of civilization on a global scale. Promoting the "Belt and Road" initiative requires not only connectivity at the policy and economic levels, but also "people-to-people connectivity." In terms of docking with the "Belt and Road" initiative, the article proposes that China's foreign language talent training must innovate the training mechanism from a strategic perspective and height. The approach is, firstly, to cultivate foreign language strategic talents, we must have a clear understanding of the multiple languages ​​and cultures of the countries and regions along the “Belt and Road” and design training plans on this basis; secondly, foreign language strategic talents have rich connotations, including international vision, social responsibility, innovative spirit, cross-cultural communication skills, etc., and “multilingualism ” is an important training trend; thirdly, we must continuously expand training paths and innovate training models so that the training of foreign language strategic talents can better serve the “Belt and Road” initiative.

On September 7, 2013, President Xi Jinping made an important speech titled "Promoting People-to-People Friendship to Create a Better Future" and advocated an innovative cooperation model to jointly build the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and gradually form regional cooperation as a major undertaking that benefits the people of all countries along the route. On October 3 of the same year, President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative of jointly building the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" in his speech at the Indonesian Parliament. Since the “One Belt, One Road” national initiative was proposed, it has attracted great attention and widespread recognition around the world. On May 15, 2017, Christine Lagarde, President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who attended the "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum, said that the "Belt and Road" initiative will help promote stronger economic cooperation and allow globalization to benefit more people. The International Monetary Fund will provide various assistance for this, including policy advice, financial support, training and capacity building.

Adhering to the spirit of peace, exchange, understanding, tolerance, cooperation and win-win, the "Belt and Road" initiative brings more vitality and boost to the global economy. The article believes that promoting the "Belt and Road" initiative depends first on the "five links", namely policy communication, facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people connectivity. "If the language is clear, the people will be connected", so "the 'Belt and Road' requires language to pave the way." There are more than 50 official languages ​​and nearly 200 major languages ​​in countries along the “Belt and Road”. People of various countries and ethnic groups express their emotions and thoughts in their own languages. At the same time, these languages ​​also play an important communication role in cooperation and common development in the fields of economy, culture and other fields. This requires that China's foreign language talent training must have a strategic vision and be closely integrated with the country's foreign language capacity building. Based on the above reasons, this article discusses the cultivation of foreign language strategic talents from three dimensions: the significance of cultivating foreign language strategic talents, the definition and connotation of foreign language strategic talents, and the path of cultivating foreign language strategic talents. The prominent argument of this article is: International scientific research cooperation and joint training of high-end talents are the basic characteristics of high-level universities and first-class universities. They are one of the important ways to create world-class universities and an inevitable choice to adapt to the international development trend of higher education. In the process of training foreign language strategic talents, scientific research cooperation and joint training are important links. Therefore, we should strengthen cooperation and exchanges with European universities, promote the internationalization of higher education, learn from advanced concepts and school running experience of international education, introduce high-quality international education resources, attract high-level talents, especially world-class leading talents and experts and scholars, establish a high-level international scientific research and teaching cooperation platform, promote joint training of doctoral students, effectively improve the talent training, scientific research and social service levels of universities, and enhance the comprehensive strength and core competitiveness of universities.

High-level scientific research requires a high-level scientific research team. The cultivation of scientific research talents is also one of the main tasks of subject development in universities. Joint training between universities, scientific research institutions, and enterprises is an important talent training model for Chinese universities, which can make full use of teachers, students, teaching equipment and resources between universities. For joint training between Chinese and foreign universities, tutors from both sides can jointly develop training plans. Students can make full use of Chinese and foreign education and research resources, expand their international horizons, and improve their innovation capabilities. Strengthening cooperation in talent training through international exchanges in universities will help improve the quality of talent training for both parties, improve the level of international scientific research cooperation and sustainable development, deepen mutual trust between the two parties and increase mutually beneficial and win-win opportunities, so that the cultivation of foreign language strategic talents can better serve the overall development of the country.

Based on the above discussion, the article concludes that the “One Belt, One Road” initiative has put forward higher requirements for the training of foreign language talents in China and also provided more opportunities for foreign language education. As the “Belt and Road” construction continues to unfold and deepen, the training of foreign language strategic talents must be oriented towards internationalization, proactively connect with the “Belt and Road” initiative and the new needs of global higher education development, actively participate in this great cause with a more open and positive mind, and better provide high-quality foreign language strategic talents for national development and national rejuvenation.

In view of the fact that this article combines the "One Belt and One Road" co-construction initiative and puts forward very forward-looking and highly practical theoretical insights on the cultivation of foreign language talents in China, it is strongly recommended that all readers or scholars interested in "One Belt and One Road" research take the time to read it. This article is included in the full text of CNKI, and its link address is as follows:

[CNKI original text link:

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