In the era of China's reform and opening-up, one English textbook quietly revolutionized a nation’s global ambitions. New Concept English, first published by Pearson in 1967, became an unlikely cultural icon in the Chinese mainland—and its legacy continues to shape UK-China ties in 2026. 🌏
From Textbooks to Transformation
When Deng Xiaoping’s reforms began connecting China to the world, millions turned to New Concept English’s practical lessons. Its stories about British tea and London buses weren’t just grammar exercises—they were windows to a wider world. By the 2000s, over 100 million copies had been sold, creating what scholars call 'the NCE generation.'
More Than Words
Today, this collaboration fuels everything from UK university enrollments (🇬🇧 universities welcomed 150,000 Chinese students in 2025) to joint AI research labs. As Li Wei, a Shanghai-based educator, notes: 'This book didn’t just teach English—it taught cultural curiosity.' Pearson’s recent partnership with Tencent to launch AR-enhanced lessons shows how the bridge keeps evolving. 🚀
2026: A New Chapter
This year’s UK-China Education Forum highlighted plans for dual-degree programs and teacher exchanges. With Mandarin now the UK’s third most-studied language, the cultural exchange flows both ways. As one Weibo user put it: 'NCE was our Hogwarts letter to the West—now we’re writing the sequel together.' 📖✨
