Enterprise Ireland has defended its decision to exclude representatives of the English as a Foreign Language sector from an education forum.
The gathering is being organised in China as part of the Irish trade mission there this week.
But an organisation representing recognised English-language schools here has claimed the decision to exclude its members "flies in the face of reason and logic".
Mr Tom Doyle, spokesman for Marketing English in Ireland - Recognised English Language Schools Association (MEI-RELSA), said: "We find this an utterly extraordinary decision for a State agency to make. The Government itself has already recognised the valued contribution made by the EFL sector.
"[ EI] should support the EFL delegates who have operated so successfully in the Chinese market in the last five years. Instead they have responded with nothing more than a self-protective, knee-jerk reaction contributing to the destruction of our previous hard work in developing a successful and internationally recognised product."
However, a spokeswoman for EI said: "The event is specifically for third-level colleges. As such it was not viewed as appropriate for EFL representatives to take part."
MEI-RELSA claims its delegates have found the Chinese market "virtually closed" to it since the Chinese government issued a warning this month against students considering English language study in Ireland.
This followed a decision by the Government not to allow students from outside the European Economic Area to work part-time unless they are attending a recognised full-time course of at least a year's duration, it said.
The Union of Students in Ireland has urged the Government to review this decision on working students.
It has also called for independent language colleges to be more tightly regulated.
Mr Ben Archibald, the USI president, called on the Government to discuss alleged human rights abuses of Falun Gong practitioners during the China visit.