1 Introduction

Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has signed cooperation documents with over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations, emphasizing the importance of "language connectivity" in economic, trade, and cultural exchanges. China has expanded its non-commonly taught language programs to cover all languages of partner countries, with non-commonly taught language education now entering a phase of quality improvement. As a key region in the Belt and Road construction, ASEAN has seen significant growth in trade with China, creating an urgent demand for ASEAN language professionals. This paper investigates the market demand and current state of talent cultivation for nine ASEAN non-commonly taught languages in China, providing data support for education planning and talent development in this field.

2 Literature Review

The discussion covers definitions, policies, and practices of non-commonly taught language talent cultivation abroad, as well as the history and development of such efforts in China. Definitions of non-commonly taught languages abroad differ from those in China, with the European Parliament and the U.S. NCOLCTL focusing on languages used within specific regions. The EU and UK promote learning at least two languages in addition to one's mother tongue, while the U.S. cultivates critical language talent through the National Security Education Program, and South Korea designates 53 languages as "special foreign languages." In China, higher education for non-commonly taught languages has evolved over 80 years since 1942. In 2016, documents issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council emphasized advancing language connectivity, accelerating the cultivation of non-commonly taught language talent. Academic research has focused on national language strategies, educational reforms, teacher conditions, case studies, and international comparative studies. Previous empirical studies have mostly relied on individual university cases or small-scale surveys, providing only partial insights into talent cultivation. Broader and deeper investigations are needed to fully depict the supply and demand of ASEAN non-commonly taught language talent.

3 Research Design

This section introduces the research design for the supply and demand survey of ASEAN language talent under the Belt and Road Initiative. The research questions focus on the characteristics of market demand and the supply-demand ratio for nine ASEAN non-commonly taught languages in China, as well as whether higher education institutions are meeting market needs. The subjects of the study are foreign language professionals proficient in at least one ASEAN language, with corresponding cultural literacy, professional skills, and practical abilities. Research methods include empirical approaches such as questionnaires, interviews, and data scraping. Demand research employs statistical sampling to extract job postings from three major representative websites, filtering valid data to calculate talent supply-demand indices. Supply research involves scraping enrollment and admission data from institutions between 2016 and 2023, combined with official website information and questionnaire surveys, to summarize the characteristics of ASEAN language talent cultivation in China.

4 Research Findings

The analysis reveals the characteristics of demand and supply for ASEAN language talent in China. On the demand side, Vietnamese language professionals are the most sought-after, with most languages facing shortages, particularly Filipino. Job postings primarily require bachelor's or associate degrees, with fewer demands for master's degrees or higher. Industries and job types are diverse, highlighting a need for interdisciplinary talent combining "language + professional knowledge + digital skills." About 56.2% of job postings require English proficiency, underscoring its importance in the ASEAN region. On the supply side, enrollment numbers and language offerings are uneven, with Thai language programs having the highest enrollment. Most programs are offered by comprehensive and language-focused institutions, predominantly at the undergraduate level. ASEAN language programs are concentrated in Yunnan and Guangxi, with students mainly from Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong. Undergraduate curricula focus on language and literature, while vocational programs emphasize industry needs.

5 Discussion and Recommendations

This chapter analyzes the supply and demand of ASEAN language talent through questionnaires, interviews, and data scraping. The results show an imbalance in supply and demand, with an overall shortage of ASEAN language talent failing to meet market needs. Thai language professionals are oversupplied, while other languages face shortages. University language programs are influenced by complex factors such as diplomacy, trade, and policy, with ASEAN language talent cultivation exhibiting regional characteristics, as most programs are concentrated in Yunnan and Guangxi. Job postings primarily require bachelor's or associate degrees, with diverse roles across various industries. Institutions adopt differentiated talent cultivation models to meet the market's demand for "language + profession + technology" interdisciplinary talent. Recommendations include aligning with national strategies to address ASEAN language talent needs, optimizing cultivation models, and fostering interdisciplinary, digitally skilled ASEAN language professionals. Undergraduate institutions could adopt an "English + ASEAN language + interdisciplinary major + technology" model, while vocational institutions could implement an "English + ASEAN language + vocational certification + technology" model, cultivating "multilingual + interdisciplinary + technology" talent to support high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.