New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally has given her in-principle support to a formal partnership between the NSW Government and a new China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

The University of Sydney has invited the NSW Government to form a partnership with their new China Studies Centre, which aims to further develop business, language and cultural links between the two nations.

It is hoped the proposed China Studies Centre will become a hub for leadership dialogue, research partnerships and business and government development between Australia and China.

Through its base at the University of Sydney, the Centre will also provide education programs to deliver competitive, China-literate graduates into the NSW workforce.

The Centre will engage with major Chinese cities and provincial business and cultural centres, including the Guangdong Province who NSW shares a sister-state relationship with.

The University of Sydney is the oldest University in Australia and has taught Chinese languages for nearly a century. It has hosted Chinese students for more than 30 years.

There are currently around 5,000 Chinese students enrolled to study at the University of Sydney.

The University of Sydney China Studies Centre will begin operations on January 1, 2011. ■