Definition of Language Policy Research in China's Surrounding Countries

The scope of language policy research in China's neighboring countries has been clarified, and the concepts of specific and general neighboring countries have been distinguished. 20 specific neighboring countries have been identified and divided into four major regions: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Central Asia.

The Significance of Language Policy Research in China's Surrounding Countries

The study of language policies in China's neighboring countries is of great significance for maintaining geopolitical security and promoting international cooperation. China has close relations with neighboring countries, and language policy research can help provide language services and support the construction of the "the Belt and Road". The rich linguistic ecology and diverse policies of neighboring countries have a significant impact on China's language resources and security.

Research on Language Policies of China's Surrounding Countries

The research on Chinese language policy has gone through the stages of introduction, digestion, and innovation, with country specific studies being an important field. China's neighboring countries are the core of language ecology and policy research, but there is currently a lack of systematic research. It is necessary to analyze language ecology and policies from the national, regional, and peripheral levels, summarize and generalize data, explore development laws, enhance theoretical research, and explore the construction of a community with a shared future in the surrounding areas.

Challenges in Language Policy Research of China's Surrounding Countries

The main challenge facing language policy research in neighboring countries of China is data collection, especially first-hand information. The methods to solve this problem include: 1) using English as the lingua franca, as English is widely used in neighboring countries and is the primary language for academic research; 2) Give full play to the role of non universal language talents in Chinese universities and guide them to engage in relevant research; 3) Hire citizens from neighboring countries who understand English or Chinese, as well as Chinese citizens who understand the languages of neighboring countries, to serve as translators and leverage their language advantages.

5. The content and characteristics of this special research topic

This issue features two research articles that respectively explore language policies in Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. Since its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has implemented a "trilingual" policy with Kazakh, Russian, and English as the main languages, aiming to comprehensively develop the Kazakh language. Afghanistan's foreign language education policy started late, developed slowly, had limited demand, and was mainly affected by war and social unrest. The research on Kazakhstan was written by Dr. Yang Bo, a Russian professor at Shanghai Foreign Studies University, and his doctoral student Wang Tianjiu, while the research on Afghanistan was completed by Professor He Jie, a Pashto PhD from the Luoyang Campus of the Strategic Support Force Information Engineering University.