A leadership council was established at the headquarters of the Confucius Institute in Beijing yesterday to better manage the global network of language and cultural centers.
Chaired by State Councilor Chen Zhili, the council has 33 members from 11 countries, including Canada, Germany, Kenya, New Zealand, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
At its meeting yesterday, the council passed a constitution and bylaws, highlighting the general principles of enhancing understanding of the Chinese language and culture, contributing to global educational and cultural exchanges and promoting a harmonious world.
There are 210 Confucius Institutes in 64 countries and regions. The centers were launched by the Office of the Chinese Language Council International in 2004.
Xu Lin, director of the office, said: "A number of foreign universities and organizations have applied to open Confucius Institutes in their countries. By 2010, there will be some 500 Confucius Institutes all over the world."
Thirty million people overseas are currently learning Chinese, figures from the Ministry of Education show.
Source: China Daily
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