Introduction

    The National Basic Foreign Language Teaching Research Centre (TEFL-China) was founded on 1 December 1997,in Chengdu, China. It is the sub-committee of the National Experimental Centre of Basic Education (NECBE), which is under the leadership of the Ministry of Education of China and the State Planning Committee.
      The aim of TEFL-China is the advancement of basic foreign language education for the benefit of the public, and the improvement of standards of foreign language teaching, especially teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). To this end ,TEFL-China articulates and advances standards of professional education, continuing education and student programs.TEFL-China links groups worldwide, including IATEFL and TESOL, to enhance communication among language specialists. TEFL-China has enrolled several thousand members all over China and most of them are ELT teachers and researchers. It produces high quality programs, services and products, and it advocates furthering the TEFL profession. To further this objective, it aims to organize and sponsor conferences, lectures, discussions and study groups; and to produce for distribution periodic newsletters, books, pamphlets, journals and other publications dealing with the foreign language teaching, especially TEFL. And in general to promote, organize and undertake activities to further the above objectives. The projects have great value for a much broader context than their immediate environment.