Politique linguistique de la Chine: entre unité et diversité. Le débat du cantonais au début du 21ème siècle

This article aims to study the language situation and language policy in China. The issue of the Chinese dialects was long-neglected in China's language policy and planning until demonstrations in Guangzhou and Hong Kong in summer 2010 brought the language controversy to the surface. The study focuses on the debate which has been going on in Guangzhou since 2010. The paper begins with an introduction to the language situation in China since 1950 and the evolution of the official attitude towards the dialect issue in our times. We will then present our analysis of the current language situation in Guangzhou, based on field research conducted during 2013 and 2014, combining a language survey and interviews.