China and Egypt Thursday (Mar 8) signed an agreement on jointly establishing a Confucius Institute in Egypt's Cairo University.

The agreement was signed by Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Wu Sike,on behalf of the Office of Chinese Language Council International,and the representative of famed Cairo University.

Wu noted at the occasion that the agreement will make Cairo University, one of the most prestigious universities in the Arab world and in Africa, host the first Confucius Institute in Egypt.

Egyptians are becoming increasingly interested in knowing China and learning the Chinese language thanks to a significant increase of bilateral exchanges in political, economic and educational fields, said Wu.

He said that although several famed Egyptian universities including Cairo University, Al-Azhar University, Ain Shams University and Suez Canal University have all set up Chinese-language departments, yet educational institutions in Egypt couldhardly deal with an ever-growing number of Egyptian students who want to learn Chinese.

The Confucius Institute in Cairo University, once set up, will offer a series of Chinese-language programs to various Egyptian learners and offer training to Chinese-language teachers for primary and middle schools as well as colleges, said the Chinese ambassador.

According to the agreement, the Office of Chinese Language Council International will grant Cairo University a sum between 50,000 and 100,000 U.S. dollars to jump-start the establishment of the Confucius Institute.

The office will also provide multimedia teaching materials to Cairo University, while China's Beijing University will send Chinese-language teachers to Cairo for the Confucius Institute,said Wu.

"Promoting Chinese-language teaching in Egypt will certainly facilitate exchange and cooperation in all fields between Egypt and China," Wu added.

Last September, Cairo University, set up in 1908, set up a Chinese-language department and began to teach Chinese in October,2004.

The Egyptian university signed a letter of intent with the Office of Chinese Language Council International on setting up a Confucius Institute.

Confucius, born in 551 B.C., was a great Chinese thinker,philosopher, statesman and educator. He was also the founder of Confucianism.

Advocating the building of a harmonious society through individuals' self-refinement in manners and taste, Confucianism dominated the Chinese society for centuries and was spread to Europe in the late 16th century.

In an effort to promote the Chinese language and Chinese culture abroad, the Chinese government plans to set up at least 100 Confucius Institutes around the world to help foreigners learn Chinese.

Editor: Wing