A new Confucius Institute at University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin was inaugurated on Wednesday.

Zhai Juan, an assistant to the Chinese foreign minister, Chinese Ambassador to Benin Geng Wenbing, Benin's Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Francois Abiola, and headmaster of University of Abomey-Calavi Norbert Awanou attended the inaugural ceremony.

Congratulating the inauguration of the Confucius Institute, Zhai said the Chinese government hoped to enhance exchange and mutual supplement among civilizations, promote diversification and common development of human civilizations, build lasting peace and common prosperity by through studying each other's language and culture.

The opening of the Abomey-Calavi Confucius Institute will be sure to promote the exchange and mutual supplement between the two countries' culture, Zhai said, adding that under the joint efforts of both sides, the Confucius Institute will play an important role in enhancing the understanding of the two peoples and consolidating the Sino-Benin traditional friendship.

Awanou said "we all realized the effect of education and cooperation in a country's development, and I believe the Confucius Institute will play a important role to diffuse Chinese and Beninese culture."

Abiola said that teaching Chinese in Benin was a significant thing which would further the cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

The students who learning Chinese from University of Abomey-Calavi sang some Chinese songs and gave an impressive Kongfu show in the ceremony.

(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2009)