Chengdu, capital of west China's Sichuan province, signed a four-year educational agreement with the Montpellier School District in France on March 26.

Nine Chengdu primary and secondary schools will open Rabelais French classes. Six primary and secondary schools have already opened Chinese language courses in Montpellier. They agreed to conduct periodic online communication and online coursework programs.

French classes have already started at Huarun Primary School, Chengdu Normal School, Jiaozi Primary School and Middle School, Sichuan University. Six schools will begin French classes soon, said Liu Jinghong, director of the Montpellier District in Chengdu.

According to Zhang Xuan, principal of Huarun Primary School, the French class is open to students from grade three to five and available to 120 students. French has become the most sough-after the elective course.

The other schools that will open French classes include: Chengdu No 7 Yucai Middle School, Chengdu Bilingual Experimental School, Pujiang Shou’an Middle School, Chengdu Foreign Languages School, and Chengdu Experimental Foreign Language School.