Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, unveiled a new study center at the University of Oxford on Monday, which aims to bring its academics with an interest in China under the same roof.

Covering an area of nearly 5,500 square meters, the new Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Center in St Hugh's College cost about 21 million pounds.

Dickson Poon, Hong Kong philanthropist, is one of the major donors of the center, who contributed 10 million pounds.

The Duke of Cambridge met local students and faculty, as well as residents of Oxford, although the Duchess of Cambridge did not accompany him, as she was reported earlier this morning to be pregnant with their second child.

He visited the library in the center, which will house 60,000 volumes and thereby become a large part of the Bodleian Libraries' Chinese book collection.

The Duke of Cambridge gave a brief congratulatory speech and joined a traditional Chinese ribbon-cutting ceremony with Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, director of the center Professor Rana Mitter and Chanceller of the University of Oxford Lord Patten in the Chinese-style courtyard.

The brand new center will draw together experts from across the university, as well as international China specialists and institutions.