English language teaching for engineering students in Chinese higher education in a cross road, where to go?

Accompanied with the English teaching innovation in Chinese higher education, debates arise as to whether English for academic purposes should take the place of English for general purposes. This paper presents results of a questionnaire survey as well as answers of interviews for engineering students, discusses some key considerations of present English language teaching, and finally draws a conclusion that engineering students in Chinese higher education should learn English for academic purposes and English for general purposes as well.