The first academic institution on Malaysia studies in the Chinese mainland opened Wednesday morning in Xiamen University, southeastern Fujian Province.

President of the university Zhu Chongshi said that Xiamen University has set up academic exchange programs with University Malaysia's China studies department, which opened in 2004.

The Malaysia Studies Institute will focus its research on politics, economy, culture, language, religion and history of the southeast Asian nation, Zhu said.

Malaysia studies has long been a key program of southeast Asia research in Xiamen University, Zhu said. The university started a Malay language program in 2002.

In addition to its full-time researchers, the university will invite scholars of Malaysia studies from colleges and universities worldwide as visiting professors.

Since 1990, more than 350 students from Malaysia studied in Xiamen University, and more than 1,000 Malaysian students received education on traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese languageby way of distance learning.

The university also provides training for Chinese to high school teachers from Malaysia, an educational cooperation program between the Chinese and Malaysian governments.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2005)