Representatives of Palestinian academics sign a cooperation agreement on teaching Chinese language at Al-Quds University in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Feb. 22, 2020. Various Palestinian universities on Saturday signed a cooperation agreement on Chinese language teaching. Under the agreement, Al-Quds University, which hosts the only Confucius Institute in Palestine, will overlook the implementation of the agreement in terms of providing educational programs and language teachers appointed by the Chinese government for this mission. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Various Palestinian universities on Saturday signed a cooperation agreement on Chinese language teaching.

Under the agreement, Al-Quds University, which hosts the only Confucius Institute in Palestine, will overlook the implementation of the agreement in terms of providing educational programs and language teachers appointed by the Chinese government for this mission.

Al-Quds University is a Palestinian university with a main campus in East Jerusalem's Abu Dis suburb.

"Today, we are very happy to see that teaching Chinese language and introducing Chinese culture are going to expand from the prestigious Al-Quds University to other universities in Palestine," said Guo Wei, director of the Office of the People's Republic of China to the State of Palestine.

"I hope that the parameters of teaching Chinese language would be expanded from East Jerusalem to West Bank and Gaza Strip," he said at the signing ceremony.

Shadi Abuzarqa, head of the Confucius Institute at Al-Quds University, said that there are currently five Chinese language teachers that will be teaching in different universities, adding that the teachers are selected by the Chinese government and dispatched to Palestine to teach Chinese as a foreign language.

"The Confucius Institute is certified and mandated with building relations with all Palestinian universities to allow the opportunity of teaching Chinese language to Palestinian students, and introduce the culture of our friendly Chinese nation," said Abuzarqa.

Al-Quds University started offering courses in Chinese language in 2015. A year later, Confucius Institute headquarters in China began sending teachers to the university.

Confucius Institute in Palestine offers Chinese language teaching, provides teaching resources, and holds the HSK examination (Chinese Proficiency Test) and tests for the certification of the Chinese language teachers, as well as other language and cultural exchange activities.