The 20th anniversary of the founding of Confucius Institutes was celebrated Friday in Beijing, marking two decades of promoting Chinese language and culture worldwide.

Yu Yunfeng, director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation at China's Ministry of Education, reaffirmed the country's commitment to the institutes and the expansion of international Chinese education during the event.

"We are focused on improving curriculum development, teacher training and educational resources to provide better services for those interested in learning Chinese and understanding China," Yu said.

This year, 33 Confucius Institute directors who have served for more than a decade were awarded commemorative medals, bringing the total number of recipients to 159.

Among the honorees was Saodat Nasirova, director of the Confucius Institute at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies in Uzbekistan, which was the first Confucius Institute established overseas in 2004. Nasirova noted significant growth at the institute during her tenure, with the number of students rising from fewer than 200 a decade ago to over 800 today.

"Previously, our students ranged from 6 to 45 years old, but now we even have students as old as 65," Nasirova said.

She attributed the increased interest in learning Chinese to Uzbekistan's growing economic ties with China. The country is home to around 2,800 joint ventures, and many Uzbeks view Chinese language skills as a fast track to opportunities in these companies.

In response to the demand, the institute has launched Chinese business language courses over the last three years that focus on speaking and listening rather than reading and writing characters. Nasirova said these courses have attracted students looking to pursue further education in China after attending the institute.

While some Confucius Institute graduates opt to stay in China, an increasing number have returned to Uzbekistan in recent years to find well-paying jobs aligned with their qualifications.

The Tashkent institute collaborates with Lanzhou University in China's Gansu province, which has provided Chinese teachers and volunteers. Four graduates from the institute have also stayed on as instructors.

As interest in learning Uzbek grows among Chinese nationals working in joint ventures, the institute has expanded its offerings. Last year, it organized a three-month Uzbek language training course for 25 students, including employees of Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Looking ahead, Nasirova said the institute aims to train more interpreters for specialized industries and government roles, as demand for skilled language professionals continues to rise with the deepening ties between China and Uzbekistan.

"The need for interpreters, particularly those versed in specialized terminology, is growing across various sectors. Developing a new generation of interpreters will be key to our future success," she said.

The Chinese International Education Foundation, which organized the anniversary event, said Confucius Institutes are currently operating in more than 100 countries. Ten new institutes were established this year in Belarus, Russia, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Hungary and Indonesia.