While there is a growing research interest in English as a medium of instruction (EMI) teaching and learning in university contexts, relatively limited attention has been paid to EMI teacher development. Drawing on my past and ongoing teaching and research practice as an EMI teacher educator, this Viewpoint article considers the emotional, pedagogical and social barriers faced by university EMI teachers in China. Based on a critical analysis and discussion of the barriers, this Viewpoint proposes an EMI teacher development framework, and argues for helping EMI teachers foster a sense of ownership of English as a global language, developing effective classroom language, and cultivating discipline-specific pedagogical competence in a community of practice. This framework is a point of reference for designing and implementing effective EMI teacher education programmes in English as a foreign language (EFL) higher education settings.