More than 160 people are expected to celebrate both occasions at a special banquet on Saturday, March 16 at the Mandarin Wok at 21800 Victory Blvd. in Woodland Hills.

Justine Zhixin Su, China Institute director, said the institute's goals are to promote a better understanding of Chinese culture and to strengthen friendships between American and Chinese people.

She said Chinese New Year was an especially appropriate time to celebrate the institute's anniversary.

"This is a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves for having passed through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new year," Su said.

The March 16 celebration will include an introduction of the institute's latest visiting Chinese scholars, including several government and business leaders from Dalian in northern China.

For 20 years, the institute has played a key role in a student and faculty exchange program that has brought educational, government and business leaders from China to the United States to study at CSUN and sent Northridge students and faculty to China to study and teach there, Su said.

The celebration also will feature dancers from Dalian and the showing of a short Chinese animation film.

For more information about the banquet, contact Su at (818) 677-3801. For information about the China Institute, visit www.csunchinainstitute.org.