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Alliance Francaise de Paris, a 140-year-old nonprofit international educational organization, opened a new center with Shenzhen University on Monday to promote the French language and strengthen cross-cultural communication.

"Alliance Francaise de Shenzhen will be a learning platform for students at SZU, as well as many other people in Shenzhen who want to study French, explore French culture and study in France," said Bertrand Lortholary, the newly appointed French ambassador to China, at the unveiling ceremony.

He said the new center — the 14th of its kind on the Chinese mainland — will help accelerate the globalization of SZU.

Alliance Francaise de Paris, which has set up a global network with more than 800 establishments since 1883, provides French courses, spreads French and Francophone culture and promotes cultural diversity across the globe.

Mao Junfa, president of SZU, said the new center has expanded the university's connection with French educational and academic organizations, which is important to the university's development, especially at a time when SZU is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

The new center of Alliance Francaise de Paris will serve as a window to showcase the improving cooperation and exchanges between China and France in the field of education, a bridge to deepen the understanding of people in the two countries and a platform to cultivate French professionals to support the growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mao said.

So far, SZU has developed a cooperative school with Audencia Business School of France (since 2016) and has signed collaboration agreements with another 12 French universities for joint master's and doctoral programs and student exchange programs.

Based in Shenzhen, one of China's most developed cities, the university has set a goal to become one of the world's top-notch comprehensive universities.

Chen Keqi contributed to this story.