Qianyu Zhou

Hubei Enshi College

Abstract：

As both a cultural medium and a strategic instrument of national governance, language's global dissemination plays a pivotal role in enhancing a nation's international influence. This study examines French language promotion in Africa, tracing its historical trajectory and policy evolution while analyzing France's strategies and outcomes in language dissemination. By comparing these approaches with China's current Chinese language promotion efforts, the research explores how French's successful dissemination model can inform China's international education initiatives. The findings reveal that France has maintained French's dominance in Africa through colonial-era linguistic assimilation, post-colonial cooperative dialogue, and multilingual policies, supported by institutions like the French Union. In contrast, China's Chinese language promotion, despite rapid development, faces challenges including insufficient policy specificity and limited communication channels. The French experience offers valuable insights for Chinese language promotion, particularly in institutional operations, dynamic policy adjustments, and coordinated multilingual development.

Key Words：

 French; Africa; international promotion of Chinese; language policy; CAF