Route of Development of Foreign Language Education in Universities in Xinjiang, China in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative

The most important competition of the 21st century is that of talents. How to make higher education and the cultivation of talents contribute to the long-term national development agenda and the construction of a community of a shared future for mankind is a significant task and mission of higher education in China. The Belt and Road Initiative is one of the means to share the Chinese experiences, Chinese wisdom and bonus of reform and opening-up. Construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the implementation of the Open Up West Program call for talents to contribute to the regional development. It has brought both opportunities and challenges to foreign language education in universities and colleges in Xinjiang. The cultivation of talents in foreign language education must integrate into the scope of internationalization in national higher education and meet its expectations of talents by focusing on fostering character and civic virtue, maintaining and serving regional social stability and long-term security and pursuing development in the long run. The tripartite route of development is as follows. Firstly, it is expected to design and carry out the tasks and agenda in line with China’s Ministry of Education’s concern of internationalization in higher education. Secondly, it is vital to focus on important aspects with a deep awareness of opportunities and challenges of internationalization. Thirdly, it is of practical significance to explore various potentials of development through Sino-Russian cooperation in faculty training and development, cultivation of talents, scientific research and cultural exchange with the help of platforms of cooperation in operation. With the joint efforts of both parties, there is hope that the cultivation of talents in foreign language education will bolster mutual capabilities in serving the Belt and Road Initiative.