This paper analyses the national policies on foreign language in primary schools in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It begins with a brief introduction to the changes in foreign language education policy and the main motives for those changes in the context of socio-political circumstances. It then examines foreign language education in primary schools (FLPS) at different times in terms of aspects of language choice, curriculum design and materials development. The study shows that FLPS in the PRC has not been planned systematically but has developed in line with the changing socio-political situation, that is it has been determined to a large extent by political, economic and educational motives. (Contains 1 note.)