Navigating Chinese Language Policy and Intercultural Adaptation: Insights From Multilingual Southeast Asian Ethnic Chinese Students in China

Abstract

Drawing on Spolsky’s (2004) language policy framework and Kim’s (2001) theory of cross-cultural adaptation, this study explores how ethnic Chinese students from Southeast Asia experience linguistic preparedness, intercultural challenges, and identity negotiation at a university in China. A qualitative case study approach was used with semi-structured interviews of three students from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Findings show that home-country Chinese education policies shape proficiency, confidence, and identity before arrival. Xie, from Malaysia’s structured system, arrived with high fluency but faced discipline-specific terminology gaps. Ada, from Indonesia’s restrictive setting, displayed fragmented preparation, multilingual coping, and double exclusion. Wong, from Thailand’s peripheral system, had basic proficiency, relied on English and international peers, and withdrew when over-accommodation heightened discomfort. Across cases, identity negotiation was uneven and influenced by policy legacies, gaps between everyday and academic competence, and institutional conditions such as limited transport, scarce counseling, and reduced cultural programs. These results extend Spolsky’s and Kim’s frameworks by showing how national policies travel across borders to produce multiple adaptation pathways. They also indicate that discipline-specific bridging courses, stronger infrastructure and mental-health support, and expanded intercultural opportunities can transform identity negotiation into deeper engagement and enhance the inclusiveness of Chinese higher education.