In the process of internationalizing higher education, national governments play their role differently, and the relationship between Chinese institutions and the government is significantly different from that experienced by Western institutions. A critical distinction is that Chinese institutions are both academic entities and government institutions that implement government policies and goals. In relation to the internationalization of higher education, the Chinese government has shown a strong supporting attitude and has four main roles: national strategy designer and program planner, major funding provider, executive director, and regulator and supervisor. The internationalization of Chinese higher education has always been strategically designed and programmed by the government; consequently, institutions formulate their own strategies and plans within the framework of the national ones. Though fundamental reforms are being implemented continuously, the Chinese government is still the major provider of funding for internationalization, just as it is for the whole public education sector. The Chinese government also acts like the executive director of a corporation in managing the internationalization of higher education. Government regulation and supervision are deeply embedded in the daily operation of Chinese institutions owing to political anxieties and economic considerations. The government's four roles could be seen as inevitable and shared widely by many national governments, yet they are essential for characterizing the way the Chinese government plays its roles. This paper presents a theoretical exploration of governmental roles in internationalizing higher education, a topic that has attracted too little attention and requires further systematic analysis by educational researchers.