Saudi students taking classes in Mandarin

Chinese language and culture have gained popularity in member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially in Saudi Arabia over the past year, education officials and experts said at the Second China-GCC Language and Culture Forum held in Beijing on Thursday.

Since all Saudi Arabia's public and private secondary schools started to teach Mandarin twice a week in August, Chinese language and culture have been well received by students, said Salim Alanazy, assistant deputy minister of the Education Ministry of Saudi Arabia.

"Chinese language is now important in many countries. GCC member states, especially Saudi Arabia, value this language and are glad to develop friendships with China," he said at the forum held during the ongoing World Chinese Language Conference.