A training center for studying the languages of countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was inaugurated Thursday at the Yunnan Nationality University.

The center is part of the efforts China has made to promote cooperation with ASEAN.

Qian Hengyi, deputy secretary-general of the Yunnan provincial government, said the China-ASEAN free trade zone comprises 11 countries with a population of 1.7 billion. Therefore, it is imperative to train people who know the languages and cultures of these countries.

Yunnan shares 4,000 km of border with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. The Yunnan Nationality University has opened classes of Thai, Vietnamese and Myanmar languages. It will teach six of the 10 ASEAN languages in the future.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2004)