POZNAN, Poland, June 14, 2008 -- The second Confucius Institute in Poland opened on Saturday in the west-central city of Poznan.

Chinese embassy officials and representatives from the co-founders of the Institute, China's Tianjin University of Technology and the Polish Adam Mickiewicz University (UAM) attended the inauguration.

Addressing the ceremony, Chinese Charge d'Affaires Zhao Xiuzhen said language offers an important tool with which to understand a country's culture, and the Confucius Institute will help people in other countries to know more about Chinese culture.

Zhao said the institute would contribute to the development of China-Poland ties.

The first Confucius Institute in Poland was set up in the southern city of Krakow in 2006.