About Videos: As China's economy and exchanges with the world have seen rapid growth, there has also been a sharp increase in the world's demands for Chinese learning. Benefiting from the UK, France, Germany and Spain's experience in promoting their national languages, China began its own exploration through establishing non-profit public institutions which aim to promote Chinese language and culture in foreign countries in 2004: these were given the name the Confucius Institute. 为了增进世界人民对中国语言和文化的了解，发展中国与各国的友好关系，促进世界多元文化发展，从2004年底开始，我国在借鉴各国推广本民族语言文化经验的基础上，采取中外合作办学方式，在海外设立汉语推广机构“孔子学院”。孔子学院本着相互尊重、友好协商、平等互利的原则，在海外开展汉语教学和中外教育、文化等方面的交流与合作。截至2009年12月，已在88个国家和地区建设了282所孔子学院和272个孔子课堂。各地孔子学院充分利用自身优势，开展丰富多彩的教学和文化活动，逐步形成了各具特色的办学模式，成为各国学习汉语言文化、了解当代中国的重要场所，受到当地社会各界的热烈欢迎。