Intercultural Contact and Communicative Competence Among EFL Learners: A Case Study in Guangzhou

This study investigates the relationship between intercultural contact and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) among Chinese EFL learners at a university in Guangzhou. It adopts an integrated framework combining communicative and intercultural competence, analyzing how direct and indirect intercultural contact influences ICC development. Using questionnaires to assess intercultural contact and ICC, data from 185 students reveal that overall ICC is below the intermediate level, with linguistic competence being the weakest dimension. Intercultural contact is similarly limited, with indirect pathways such as multimedia dominating. The study confirms a strong positive correlation between intercultural contact and ICC, highlighting the reciprocal reinforcement between these factors. These findings provide practical insights for designing educational strategies to enhance ICC through increased and diverse intercultural engagement opportunities.