Globalization has made, and will continue to make, a major impact on language education in Asia. The fact that English has become the de facto common language of communication (or lingua franca) across the globe has led Asian governments to revisit their language policies so that [Page 1320]their countries can participate in, or become competitive in, the global economy. This entry outlines the changes that have taken place since the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s, the tensions that have arisen since then, and the ways in which Asian countries have tried to resolve these tensions. The implications for other nations are discussed briefly.