VALLETTA, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- The China Cultural Center in Malta is offering new opportunities for locals to study the Chinese language and experience traditional culture.

People at different levels of Chinese language proficiency could take lessons at the centre and participate in a variety of cultural and creative activities.

"Once locals have succeeded in speaking or reading a few sentences in Chinese, they will be encouraged to continue their journey towards fluency," Yang Xiaolong, director of the Centre, told Xinhua.

He added that studying Chinese will also lead them to discover the beauty and warmth of Chinese culture.

Language courses for students of differing levels will begin in October.

The Centre started to offer language courses as early as 2004. In recent years, it has been collaborating with the Confucius Institute of the University of Malta in teaching local learners Chinese.

According to Yang, the Centre will also offer classes on calligraphy, the Erhu, otherwise known as the Chinese violin, Chinese painting, square dancing, the Chinese strategy board game Go, Chinese handicrafts, Tai Chi, martial arts and Chinese cooking.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily limiting events such as exhibitions and shows, the centre continues to flourish and has focused on expanding and improving online services and activities for local people, including language teaching, skills training and martial arts, Yang said.

Meanwhile, the centre has also gradually recovered certain offline cultural activities under the requirements set by the Maltese government.