The Confucius Institute at Tribhuvan University celebrates its first inaugural anniversary in Kathmandu, Nepal on Aug. 16, 2023. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)

KATHMANDU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute at Tribhuvan University was hailed on Wednesday as an important platform for Nepalis to get to know about China as the institute marked its first inaugural anniversary in Nepal's capital.

"Since its establishment to date, the Confucius Institute has proved invaluable in fostering people-to-people relations, cultural exchanges and linguistic understanding between the two great nations," said Shiva Lal Bhusal, rector of Tribhuvan University.

The rector voiced hope the Confucius Institute will expand cooperation on joint research, publication and the exchange of faculties and students in the days to come among Tribhuvan University, East China University of Technology and Qinghai Nationalities University, which are co-building the Institute, the second of its kind in Nepal.

A proposal has been made for establishing a Chinese language department at Bishwo Bhasa Campus, the only language teaching campus under Tribhuvan University, noted Bhusal.

Addressing its inaugural anniversary, Wang Xin, a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, said the Confucius Institute is an important platform for Nepalis to learn the Chinese language and culture and get to know about China.

Wang proposed that efforts be devoted to making Chinese education high-end, professional and included in school curricula in Nepal.