Egypt and China signed on Sunday at the Chinese embassy in Cairo a protocol for setting up an Egyptian-Chinese university, which would be home for a Confucius Institute.

The protocol of signed between Liaoning University, a famed Chinese university in northeast China, and the International Education Institution of Egypt.

Wang Shan, Communist Party Secretary of Liaoning University said the signing ceremony marked the beginning of the program to set up the Egyptian-Chinese University in Egypt and the initiation of the construction of the Confucius Institute, which, according to their initial agreement, would be completed and put into use in May, 2007.

The to-be-built Confucius Institute is set to help more Egyptians learn about China and its culture, and further enhance Sino-Egyptian exchange and cooperation, said Wang.

Karima Abd El-Karim, Chairwoman of the International Education Institution of Egypt, said the program to set up the Egyptian- Chinese University had received vigorous support from both governments of Egypt and China.

The launch of the building of the Confucius Institute in Egypt is also one of the fruits brought about by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's recent China tour, Abd El-Karim said.

Mubarak went to Beijing on Nov. 3 and attended the two-day Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which is seen as an important conference to promote a new Sino-African strategic partnership and strengthen cooperation between China and Africa.

Abd El-Karim said the development of Egyptian-China relations had resulted in wider and deeper bilateral cooperation in such fields as economy, politics and education, which subsequently entailed more Egyptians who know the Chinese language.

Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Wu Sike said after the signing ceremony that the launch of the cooperation program came against the backdrop of a very good diplomatic atmosphere as the two nations were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ties.

Education cooperation was not only an important part of bilateral cooperation, but an important element to guarantee a long-term development of Sino-Egyptian friendship, said Wu.

Liaoning University and Egypt's International Education Institution first signed a cooperation agreement in April, 2005 on the building of the Egyptian-Chinese University in Egypt.

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 individual's 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 culture abroad, the Chinese government plans to set up 100 Confucius Institutes around the world to help foreigners learn Chinese and understand Chinese culture.

So far some 80 Confucius Institutes have been set up in about 36 countries and regions and up to 100 organizations from some 40 nations have applied to set up Confucius Institutes.

Source: Xinhua