China's Shandong Friendship Publishing House on Wednesday donated 780 books to the Confucius Institute of Kenyatta University to boost the learning of Chinese language and culture in the tertiary institution.

The books donated cover a broad spectrum of topics, including Chinese folktales, culinary and medicinal traditions, as well as the latest socioeconomic developments in Shandong Province, in eastern China, said Li Hong, deputy director-general of Shandong Provincial Foreign Affairs Office.

The learning materials tap into the rising demand for Chinese culture in Kenya, said Salome Nyambura, co-director of the Confucius Institute of Kenyatta University, noting that the books will expand the institution's collection of resources on Chinese cultural heritage.

Mandarin has recently been identified as one of the foreign languages to be taught under Kenya's educational curriculum, Nyambura told a ceremony at the university, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

The book donation is timely, given that Kenyatta University will begin offering a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and culture in September, targeting at least 300 students annually, she said.

The books will also be made available to its partner primary and secondary schools across Kenya, Nyambura said.