The branch of the Confucius Institute at the University of Porto, in the northern Portuguese city of Oporto, is offering free of charge an open course in Chinese language and culture, which will be taught online, the university has announced.

The university issued a written announcement saying Confucius Institute teachers will hold classes online every Friday until May 8th, and that the course comprises eight hours of teaching, covering common expressions in Chinese, the Chinese way of life, the Chinese diet and Chinese geography.

The Oporto branch of the Confucius Institute, the Chinese cultural agency, opened last May, and is meant to strengthen the ties between the city and China, the University of Porto says.