RIYADH, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Finance Ministry has expected over 85,000 students to benefit from the Chinese language teaching program by the end of 2026 in a latest report.

In the state budget statement for fiscal year 2026, released on Tuesday, the ministry said that the rollout of the Chinese language teaching program in Saudi public schools will continue, with the number of Saudi students benefiting from the initiative expected to exceed 85,000 by the end of 2026.

The report, reviewing main achievements in the education sector for fiscal year 2025, noted that as of the second quarter of 2025, the total number of students studying Chinese in Saudi public education schools had reached about 56,000.

The report also stated that 325 Saudi teachers will receive scholarships to study the Chinese language and pursue master's degrees in Chinese language education in prestigious Chinese universities.

Since 2024, Saudi Arabia has introduced Chinese language courses in more than 100 public junior high schools nationwide, significantly advancing Chinese language education in the kingdom. ■