Conference on Confucius Institutes in Danube Region opens in Romania

CONSTANTA, Romania, June 2 (Xinhua) -- An international conference on the future development of a Chinese language and culture institute in Europe's Danube Region kicked off on Thursday in Romania.

In the Black Sea port city of Constanta, the 1st International Conference on the Confucius Insititute Program gathered nearly 200 experts and educators from Danube regional countries along with China and the United States.

They will discuss the future of Confucius Institutes in the region during a three-day-meeting.

At the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Romania Xu Feihong said "Language is a tool for communication and a bridge for cultural exchanges," and hoped "Confucius Institute could play the role of goodwill ambassador" to promote China's cooperation with Romania and the region.

Xu added that the countries of the Danube region have great potential for cooperation with China, because "they are located in the intersection of the 'Belt and Road' initiative promoted by China."

Rector Sorin Rugina of Ovidius University of Constanta, as the conference holder, said it is of great significance to have the conference held in Constanta, the largest port of the Black Sea with an important status in geopolitics and regional economics.

Confucius Institutes have witnessed fast growth in Romania and nearby countries. To date, there are four Confucius Institutes, five Confucius Classrooms and 17 Chinese teaching sites in Romania. A number of well-known universities in the Danube region now teach Chinese as a foreign language.