The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has set up a Chinese language center in the National Library of China (NLC), the Ministry of Culture said on its website Thursday.

The center, which opened Tuesday, will be the permanent representative office of IFLA for Chinese language activity, the statement said.

Hao Jinmin of the NLC's department of international exchanges told Xinhua Friday that Yan Xiangdong, head of the department, would be director of the language center and would work in cooperation with volunteers selected from Chinese libraries.

The center would also translate IFLA's documents and publications into Chinese and help expand the membership of IFLA in China, Hao said.

Alex Byrne, former president of IFLA, said the center would help IFLA communicate more easily with its counterparts in China and those in other regions who use the Chinese language.

Founded in 1927 in Scotland, IFLA is a non-governmental organization that provides a forum for information specialists to exchange ideas and promote cooperation.

Source: Xinhua