@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import asyncio
 import sys
 from collections.abc import Callable, Mapping
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -338,7 +339,7 @@ def create_agent_from_yaml_path(self, yaml_path: str | Path) -> Agent:
             yaml_path = Path(yaml_path)
         if not yaml_path.exists():
             raise DeclarativeLoaderError(f"YAML file not found at path: {yaml_path}")
-        with open(yaml_path) as f:
+        with open(yaml_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             yaml_str = f.read()
         return self.create_agent_from_yaml(yaml_str)
 
@@ -508,9 +509,10 @@ async def create_agent_from_yaml_path_async(self, yaml_path: str | Path) -> Agen
         """
         if not isinstance(yaml_path, Path):
             yaml_path = Path(yaml_path)
-        if not yaml_path.exists():
-            raise DeclarativeLoaderError(f"YAML file not found at path: {yaml_path}")
-        yaml_str = yaml_path.read_text()
+        try:
+            yaml_str = await asyncio.to_thread(yaml_path.read_text, encoding="utf-8")
+        except FileNotFoundError as exc:
+            raise DeclarativeLoaderError(f"YAML file not found at path: {yaml_path}") from exc
         return await self.create_agent_from_yaml_async(yaml_str)
 
     async def create_agent_from_yaml_async(self, yaml_str: str) -> Agent:
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ def create_workflow_from_yaml_path(
         if not yaml_path.exists():
             raise FileNotFoundError(f"Workflow YAML file not found: {yaml_path}")
 
-        with open(yaml_path) as f:
+        with open(yaml_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             yaml_content = f.read()
 
         return self.create_workflow_from_yaml(yaml_content, base_path=yaml_path.parent)
 
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import builtins
 import sys
+import threading
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
@@ -1051,6 +1052,30 @@ def test_create_agent_from_yaml_path_with_path_object(self, tmp_path):
 
         assert agent.name == "PathAgent"
 
+    def test_create_agent_from_yaml_path_reads_utf8(self, tmp_path):
+        """Test create_agent_from_yaml_path reads YAML as UTF-8."""
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+        from agent_framework_declarative import AgentFactory
+
+        yaml_file = tmp_path / "unicode_agent.yaml"
+        yaml_file.write_text(
+            """
+kind: Prompt
+name: UnicodeAgent
+instructions: 政务助手 🏛️
+""",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        factory = AgentFactory(client=mock_client)
+        with patch("builtins.open", wraps=builtins.open) as mock_open:
+            agent = factory.create_agent_from_yaml_path(yaml_file)
+
+        mock_open.assert_called_once_with(yaml_file, encoding="utf-8")
+        assert agent.name == "UnicodeAgent"
+
 
 class TestAgentFactoryAsyncMethods:
     """Tests for AgentFactory async methods."""
@@ -1138,6 +1163,41 @@ async def test_create_agent_from_yaml_path_async_with_string_path(self, tmp_path
 
         assert agent.name == "AsyncPathAgent"
 
+    async def test_create_agent_from_yaml_path_async_reads_utf8_off_event_loop(self, tmp_path):
+        """Test async path loading reads UTF-8 without blocking the event-loop thread."""
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+        from agent_framework_declarative import AgentFactory
+
+        yaml_file = tmp_path / "async_unicode_agent.yaml"
+        yaml_file.write_text(
+            """
+kind: Prompt
+name: AsyncUnicodeAgent
+instructions: 政务助手 🏛️
+""",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        event_loop_thread_id = threading.get_ident()
+        read_thread_id: int | None = None
+        original_read_text = Path.read_text
+
+        def tracked_read_text(path: Path, *args, **kwargs):
+            nonlocal read_thread_id
+            read_thread_id = threading.get_ident()
+            assert kwargs["encoding"] == "utf-8"
+            return original_read_text(path, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        factory = AgentFactory(client=mock_client)
+        with patch.object(Path, "read_text", autospec=True, side_effect=tracked_read_text):
+            agent = await factory.create_agent_from_yaml_path_async(yaml_file)
+
+        assert read_thread_id is not None
+        assert read_thread_id != event_loop_thread_id
+        assert agent.name == "AsyncUnicodeAgent"
+
 
 class TestAgentFactoryProviderLookup:
     """Tests for provider configuration lookup."""
 
@@ -545,6 +545,27 @@ def test_load_from_file(self, tmp_path):
         assert workflow is not None
         assert workflow.name == "file-workflow"
 
+    def test_load_from_file_reads_utf8(self, tmp_path):
+        """Test loading a workflow file explicitly uses UTF-8."""
+        workflow_file = tmp_path / "UnicodeWorkflow.yaml"
+        workflow_file.write_text(
+            """
+name: unicode-workflow
+actions:
+  - kind: SetValue
+    path: Local.message
+    value: 政务助手 🏛️
+""",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        factory = WorkflowFactory()
+        with patch("builtins.open", wraps=open) as mock_open:
+            workflow = factory.create_workflow_from_yaml_path(workflow_file)
+
+        mock_open.assert_called_once_with(workflow_file, encoding="utf-8")
+        assert workflow.name == "unicode-workflow"
+
 
 @_requires_powerfx
 class TestDisplayNameMetadata: