【答案解析】In this past year, with the unprecedented enthusiasm and unwavering support from the governments and people of all the relevant countries, and with the concerted, innovative, and pioneering efforts by both the Chinese and international colleagues, Confucius Institutes around the globe have made remarkable achievements.
First and foremost, we have witnessed the momentum of stable growth. This year, about 40 Confucius Institutes and 97 Confucius Classrooms have been newly established. So far a total of 322 Confucius Institutes and 369 Confucius Classrooms have been put in place in 96 countries and regions. The total number of registered students has increased by 56% over the previous year, amounting up to 360,000 in total. The Confucius Institute Online has opened channels in 9 languages, with 100, 000 registered users. Such efforts have greatly facilitated people from the host countries to learn Chinese.
Secondly, we have ensured higher quality of teachers. The total number of teachers, part-time and full-time alike, has reached 4,000, with a net increase of 1,000 this year. Among them, half are from China, and half from the local countries. About 3,000 people have participated in the training programs organized by the Confucius Institute Headquarters. Moreover, the Headquarters has provided 2,000 scholarships for Confucius Institutes to train local teachers. All these endeavors have enhanced the performance of directors and teachers.
Thirdly, we have made new progress in the development of teaching materials. About 9 collections of Chinese language teaching materials and reference books in 45 languages have been published and more than 400,000 books have been donated to Confucius Institutes. Currently, about 104 Confucius Institutes have developed and published 77 local Chinese language teaching materials, thus greatly alleviating the pressure of textbook shortage. We have provided training on the use of teaching materials in China to 2,500 primary and secondary school teachers from abroad, boosting Chinese language instruction in the host countries.
Fourthly, there emerges a new surge of brand name events. This year, about 300 university presidents and 2, 000 Confucius Institute directors and teachers have been invited to visit the Shanghai World Expo to get a first-hand feel about the harmonious coexistence of the multiculturalism in the world. Some presidents from Asia also visited the Guangzhou Asian Games.