1 Introduction

This section introduces the background of "Chinese + Vocational Skills" education, explains the reasons for its growing attention under the promotion of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and highlights the affirmation and advocacy of related projects by Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on various occasions. It then leads to the research direction of this paper on "Engineering Chinese" within the "Chinese + Engineering" field.

2 The Concept and Content of "Engineering Chinese"

Firstly, the concept of "Engineering Chinese" is explained. It is noted that "Engineering Chinese" falls under the category of vocational Chinese within Chinese for Specific Purposes, being an outcome of the integrated development of "Chinese + Vocational Skills." It serves international engineering construction and primarily targets non-native Chinese speakers involved in engineering projects. Subsequently, the content of "Engineering Chinese" is detailed, including specialized vocabulary and terminology in the engineering field, general technical specifications and standards, as well as project management-related content. The aim is to meet learners' needs for professional communication in Chinese across various stages of engineering projects.

3 Practical Applications of "Chinese + Engineering"

This section discusses the overseas practices of "Chinese + Engineering." In the China-Thailand Railway cooperation project, the Confucius Institute at Khon Kaen University in Thailand collaborated with Wuhan Railway Vocational College of Technology in China to train over 200 "Chinese + Railway" interdisciplinary talents. In railway construction in Laos, China assisted in training railway teachers, filling the gap in local railway vocational education. In Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University offers "Chinese + Machinery" courses, improving communication efficiency between local staff and Chinese counterparts. During the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan, the Confucius Institute at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, launched a "Chinese + Welding Technology" training program. Additionally, Hangzhou Vocational & Technical College in Zhejiang developed a "Chinese + Elevator Engineering Technology" study program, while countries such as Japan and Ukraine have introduced courses like "Chinese + Aviation" and "Chinese + Robotics."

4 Current Status and Prospects of "Engineering Chinese" Teaching Research

This section provides a comprehensive analysis of the current status and future prospects of "Engineering Chinese" teaching research. In terms of teaching resources, it is noted that Engineering Chinese textbooks started late, are limited in number and variety, and are primarily focused on the railway sector, with a scarcity of materials in other engineering fields. In 2022, "Chinese + Vocational Skills" textbooks accounted for only 6.5% of international Chinese teaching materials, with even fewer engineering-related textbooks. However, some progress has been made in recent years. For example, the "Industrial Chinese" textbook series published at the end of 2022 covers multiple popular overseas construction fields, meeting the training needs of overseas Chinese enterprises for technical and skilled talents. The New Silk Road "Chinese + Vocational Skills" textbook series released at the end of 2023 encompasses various majors, emphasizing practical skills and "learning by doing." "Engineering Chinese" published in May 2023 designs engineering scenarios based on "work processes" to enhance learners' communication skills. The "Chinese + Vocational Skills Tutorial: Industry Volume" published in July 2024 includes foundational and specialized sections to cultivate learners' comprehensive Chinese proficiency. Additionally, the "Zhí Tōng Zhōng Wén" (Vocational Chinese) textbook series, developed according to the actual needs of various countries, covers multiple industries and employs a "scenario-based task-driven" teaching model. The development of textbook resources requires optimization and enhancement in areas such as expanding subfields, differentiating teaching implementation scenarios, and providing progressive training for learners. Supplementary teaching resources, especially online resources, need to be strengthened, with emphasis on developing digital resources such as electronic workbooks, engineering dictionaries, instructional audio, and videos to form an integrated teaching resource project. The development of teaching materials suitable for vocational scenarios should also be prioritized, as current related materials are insufficient and need to cater to a wide range of users, including overseas engineering construction personnel.

In terms of teaching standards, although some teaching standards have been issued in the field of international Chinese education, the standards for "Chinese +" related majors or professions require further development and release. The "Professional Chinese Proficiency Standards" developed in December 2023, targeting technical and service-oriented job positions, provide a reference for vocational Chinese education. Building on this foundation, the "Professional Chinese Teaching Syllabus" was developed, specifying the target learners and competency objectives for "Chinese +" related majors or professions. Syllabi for automotive service engineering technology and logistics service and management have been published. In the future, efforts should continue to integrate engineering discipline characteristics based on this framework and develop and release corresponding syllabi.

In terms of faculty and equipment, Chinese for Specific Purposes teachers need to possess knowledge, skills, and competencies in second language teaching as well as expertise in related professional fields. Currently, the development of teaching staff urgently needs strengthening, with a focus on building a "dual-background" teaching team and cultivating specialized, diverse interdisciplinary talents. Approaches can include recruitment and training of graduate students in international Chinese education, collaborative teaching among institutions, and offering professional knowledge training programs. Engineering education is characterized by practicality and hands-on experience, but the shortage of practical training facilities and equipment is one of the main challenges in conducting Engineering Chinese practical teaching. The application of modern educational technologies, such as virtual simulation technology, is an effective solution to address equipment issues. It can create virtual engineering scenarios, improve the utilization rate of teaching resources, and inject new momentum into Engineering Chinese teaching.

5 Conclusion

This section emphasizes the current status of Engineering Chinese as an important component of "Chinese +" education. It points out that Engineering Chinese is still in an exploratory stage and calls for increased attention and investment, including expanding its branches, strengthening teaching resources, establishing standards, improving teaching staff, and enhancing facilities to promote its sustainable and high-quality development.