BEIJING, July 20 -- China and Britain have reached an understanding on increasing the number of exchanges of students and teachers over the next five years, as part of efforts to promote Chinese studies in British schools.

    Up to 500 British secondary school pupils will be invited each year to summer schools in China starting from next year to gain a better understanding of the country, according to a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday at the UK-China Meeting on Chinese Learning and Teaching in Beijing.

    Each year about 100 British headteachers and education officials will also be invited to make one-week visits to China with a view to introducing Chinese studies into their schools, says the memorandum, which was agreed by the British Department of Education and Skills (DfES) and the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), a Chinese government body that co-ordinates language-teaching efforts in other countries.

    In addition, Hanban will increase the number of Chinese Language Assistants to Britain by 20 per cent under the existing British Council scheme, and send Chinese teacher trainers to act as mentors. About 35 assistants were sent to Britain last year under the scheme.

    British teachers of Chinese will be provided 2-4 weeks of training in China as well, according to the memorandum.

    Lid King, national director for languages at DfES who was on his first visit to China, said the efforts are to meet a "growing" demand in Britain for learning about China's language and culture.

    "French, German and Spanish are still the top three popular second languages in Britain, but Chinese is gaining popularity slowly because of its culture, history and rapid economic growth," he said.

    DfES is promoting the teaching and learning of foreign languages including Chinese in British primary and secondary schools, so that each child can have the opportunity to study a foreign language and develop their interest in the culture of other nations, according to King.

    "So more language teachers and materials are needed," he said.

    DfES and Hanban will jointly undertake research and collect information to determine the precise nature of the demand for Chinese language learning in Britain, according to the memorandum.

    Zhao Guocheng, Hanban's deputy director-general, said China is willing to help promote Chinese language and culture in Britain, and China would like to "share British experience of teaching English as a foreign language and experience of language testing".

    An annual schools-based competition on Chinese culture and language linked to major events such as the Beijing Olympics and the Shanghai Expo will also be developed to attract more British students, the memorandum says.

    Both sides emphasized that the memorandum is subject to Ministerial approval.