Language ideologies and English in Chinese primary education

English education has been promoted widely in China and has driven scholarly attention to young Chinese learners of English. However, not much has been done to address language ideologies embedded in English education oriented towards young Chinese learners from a perspective informed by the research on the global spread of English as a lingua franca (ELF). To narrow the gap, we adopt an ELF perspective to investigate textbook representations and teacher perceptions of English in relation to culture and identity in Chinese primary education. The findings demonstrate a Standard English ideology and an essentialist approach to language. We thus argue for a reconsideration of 'English' in primary education in order to empower young generations of English learners in China. While English is an essential language for international engagement, it is necessary to reconsider the relationship between English and China and to review the ownership of English.