Nepal's culture, politics, economy and education system are to be studied at a center that opened in Hebei province on Wednesday.

The Nepal Study Center at the Hebei University of Economics and Business is the first academic institution in China that focuses solely on Nepal.

In contrast, the China Study Center in Nepal has 17 branches and more than 1,000 researchers and administrative staff.

Mahesh Kumar Maskey, Nepal's ambassador to China, told guests at the inauguration ceremony in Hebei: "The center can address a long-felt need and help deepen the friendship between China and Nepal."

The unit is staffed mainly by academics who formerly taught Chinese culture and language at the Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University.

The institute is the only Confucius school in Nepal and was established jointly by the two universities in 2007.