JEDDAH: Chinese lessons in schools and universities in the Kingdom have moved a step closer to reality with the arrival of a high-level Beijing delegation in Riyadh. The team is visiting leading Saudi universities to help establish language and cultural programs in the Kingdom. Plans for the language initiative were agreed on at a recent meeting between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a delegation of Chinese government officials as part of moves to strengthen economic and social collaboration between the two nations. In support of these efforts, the crown prince committed the Kingdom’s schools to adding Chinese to the curriculum. China agreed to help facilitate Chinese language learning through its Ministry of Education Confucius Institute, which promotes language learning and cultural exchange around the world. Many of the Chinese teachers sent abroad are college graduates, with the cost of the program shared by the Beijing government and the international host. Schools around the Kingdom will host the Chinese teachers. King Khalid University already has taken major steps to implement the new program with Abdullah Al-Melhi, dean of the faculty of languages and translation, leading the initiative. On Friday, the Chinese delegation met with leading Saudi universities including King Saud University, King Abdul Aziz University, Tabuk University, Princess Nourah bint Abdul Rahman University, Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, and King Khalid University. Al-Melhi met with the Chinese delegates, including Yu Yunfeng, the Confucius Institute deputy, who said: “I am so glad that our two nations have joined in cooperation for our mutual benefit.” Al-Melhi said: “This was more than your basic ‘meet and greet.’ The Chinese language initiative is an ambitious project with an aggressive schedule. “Bringing this program to fruition will require a high level of cooperation and hard work. We have already negotiated certain plans and the project is moving forward.” The university will create a new department in its languages faculty as part of the program, Al-Melhi said.