English teaching for the People’s Liberation Army
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Chinese military urged to overhaul English teaching to improve language skills
Senior lecturers warn that troops are not being given the communication skills they need to operate on the international stage
William Zheng, SCMP (18 Feb 2026)
You can read this many different ways.
The report said English language skills were important for UN peacekeeping missions.
The People’s Liberation Army has been urged to overhaul English language teaching at its military schools and recruit professionals to improve soldiers’ communication skills on the international stage.
What's bothering the experts?
Three senior lecturers from the PLA Air Force Early Warning Academy made the call in an article published in the February edition of official Military-to-Civilian in China magazine, which is administered by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.
Li Yan, Dai Sishi and Zhang Yong, all associate professors from the military school, argued that English teaching in China’s military schools was outdated and unbalanced. They said there was too much focus on vocabulary, grammar and reading and writing but not enough on communication and presentation.
Here's their beef:
The authors said PLA English classes followed a model where “teachers talk and students listen”, resulting in low participation rates from students and a relative lack of discussion in the classroom.
The problem is that this is part of the classroom culture in China, especially among military personnel: "Listen up, guys!"
They also warned that many specialised English teachers did not have a good grounding in military matters and could only provide superficial explanations of concerns such as “asymmetric warfare” and “system disruption”. In contrast, many lecturers from the military lacked the necessary English language skills.
Oh, and if you want to sell drones, planes, ships, submarines, missiles, tanks, etc., etc. to other countries, you must be able to describe your products — almost always in English.
Bottom line:
The authors stressed that strong English communication skills were essential as the PLA expanded its global footprint.
Selected readings
- "Ask Language Log: The alphabet in China" (11/6/19)
- "English and Science in China and Japan" (3/11/09)
[Thanks to Mark Metcalf]