The latest edition of the EF English Proficiency Index has placed China at rank 82 out of 113 countries, with an EF EPI score of 464, which is below the global average score of 502. Within Asia, China stands at 14th out of 23 countries.

The index shows variability across China's major cities. Beijing leads with a score of 514, closely followed by Shanghai at 512 and Hangzhou at 509, ranking them "moderate" in English language proficiency.

Major cities such as Wuhan and Nanjing are also classified within the "moderate" proficiency tier, scoring 507 and 501—hovering just above the global average. Shenzhen trails slightly with a score of 499, just shy of the global average. In contrast, Tianjin, Xi'an, and Dalian record more significant deviations, with scores spanning from 490 to 481. Further along the index, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu score 479, 475, and 461, respectively, placing them all in the "low" proficiency category. Meanwhile, Suzhou, with a score of 449, is positioned at the country's lower end, reflecting a "very low" proficiency in the English language.

Source: https://www.ef.edu/epi/regions/asia/china

How this affects the UK education sector

China's English proficiency has experienced a notable decline over the past several years, transitioning from a moderate level in 2021 to a “low proficiency” level in 2022, with the English Proficiency Index dropping to the 62nd position in 2022, marking a significant decrease from its ranking at 49 in 2021 and 38 in 2020.

While China's English language proficiency band has remained in the "low proficiency" category in 2023 as the previous year, the drop in its global ranking to 82nd place, among 111 countries, indicates a concerning trend of decreasing English proficiency across the country.

The decline in English language skills can be partly attributed to the pandemic, which made it more challenging to study and practice English, as well as China's "double reduction" policy in 2022 where regulations were imposed on tutoring companies to reduce the burden of homework and afterschool tutoring.  Furthermore, increasingly less value has been assigned to having English language skills, as indicated by ongoing discussions about reducing the importance of English within the national curriculum and Chinese universities relaxing their English language requirements.

The reduced English language proficiency within China may have an impact on the number of students who are able to meet the English language requirements of UK university degrees. Consequently, UK universities and pathway providers may need to invest more in language support services and foundation programmes to accommodate students with lower English proficiency.

Source: https://www.ef.edu/epi/regions/asia/china/

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