Renmin University of China founded its research institute on public diplomacy in Beijing on Wednesday.

The institute, which will be headed by Zhao Qizheng, former director of State Council Information Office, will consist of research teams from the School of Journalism and Communication, School of International Studies and the peking opera research center of the university.

The institute will carry out research on public diplomacy by the government and all kinds of social organizations and institutions.

Dai Bingguo, former state councilor and honorary president of the newly founded institute, said at the opening ceremony that it is the first public diplomacy institute established in a Chinese university, and it was founded at the right time to meet the demand as China has been developing relations with countries around the world.

In an era of information and globalization, public diplomacy plays a unique role in opening up channels of communication beyond official diplomacy, and more studies and teaching on public diplomacy should be carried out at Chinese universities, he said.