Formal textual policy papers in China have traditionally been the primary medium for articulating political decisions, drawing substantial academic attention. However, a less-explored dimension of China's policymaking landscape lies in the speeches delivered by state leaders at critical junctures. These speeches offer rich insights into the country's educational vision and strategic direction.
In a study published online on February 6, 2025, in ECNU Review of Education , Yansi Hou of East China Normal University examines the significance of the 2024 National Education Conference—only the sixth of its kind since the founding of the People's Republic of China. While earlier conferences focused on more discrete issues, the fifth (2018) and sixth (2024) conferences marked a pivotal shift toward long-range planning with the shared objective of building a strong education system. The 2024 conference revisited and expanded the 2018 blueprint, reaffirming China's ambition to become a global leader in education by 2035.
"Transforming from a major education nation to a leading country in education requires systematic planning and innovation, " explains Hou.
The study identifies five core policy tasks emphasized at the 2024 conference: fostering virtue through education (lide shuren), ensuring educational equity, integrating education with science, technology, and talent development, strengthening the teaching workforce, and advancing educational opening-up.
In addition to mapping the policy agenda, the research offers a novel analytical perspective by examining conference speeches as a form of political discourse uniquely shaped by Chinese governance practices. It finds that these speeches typically follow a four-part structure, beginning with historical context, followed by theoretical innovation, assessment of current realities, and culminating in the articulation of future tasks.
"This rhetorical structure is not merely ceremonial," Hou adds. "It provides a discursive blueprint that both reflects and reinforces strategic shifts in China's education priorities."
By illuminating both the discursive structure and strategic content of the 2024 conference, Hou's study enhances understanding of how China shapes its educational development goals through political narrative and speech. The findings underscore the enduring role of national conferences in aligning vision, policy, and public engagement—making them powerful instruments in the country's modernization drive.
