COPENHAGEN - Directors and teachers from about 100 senior high schools gathered here Wednesday to discuss the feasibilIty and ways of opening Chinese language courses.

"China is becoming more important to the world, Danish young people are raising their interest in China, including Chinese language and culture," Benedicte Kieler, an educational consultant from the Ministry of Education, told a conference on China and Chinese at the Gefion Gymnasium high school.

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"In order to meet their need and the Danish upper secondary school system's goal to train the next generation for gainful employment, we want to help all the schools that are interested in China and get started to establish the Chinese language courses," she said.

Li Xing, a senior researcher with Aalborg University, made a speech on how to understand the rise of China and the world order from a comprehensive perspective.

Professor Verner Worm, director of Copenhagen Business Confucius Institute, expounded the significance of opening Chinese courses in Danish high schools.

Carsten Boyer Thoegersen, head of Department China Task Force under the Danish Foreign Ministry, stressed the importance of learning Chinese from the viewpoints of history, geography, culture and economy.

"The next generation need to have the ability to communicate, compete and behave on the global stage that requires not only Chinese language skills but also knowledge about Chinese culture, norms, practices and visions," he said.