The Confucius Institute at North South University (NSU) in Bangladesh was inaugurated here Tuesday to introduce Chinese language and culture to the country and promote mutual understanding and exchanges between peoples of the two countries.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Chai Xi said the founding of the Confucius Institute at NSU demonstrates Bangladeshi people's common amicable sentiments toward China and the Chinese people and lays another solid foundation for further enhancing bilateral all-round cooperation and friendship between the two nations.

"The Confucius Institute at NSU will definitely promote the development of the Chinese language teaching in Bangladesh and open a new window of exhibiting Chinese culture," Chai said.

Confucius Institute Director Khaliquzzaman Elias said the institute will not be confined to language, but provide wide knowledge and better understanding of the Chinese culture.

The Confucius Institute at NSU was jointly set up by China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCFL) and Bangladesh North South University.

To meet the increasing demand for learning the Chinese language, according to NOCFL, it began to co-construct Confucius Institute with education organizations of foreign countries that have the desire and corresponding conditions from the year of 2004. Within more than one year time, 25 Confucius Institutes have been set up in 20 countries.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2006)