BEIJING - China has pledged to step up efforts to improve education for ethnic minority children over the next decade, according to the Outline for the Development of Chinese Children (2011-2020) released Monday.

China will "vigorously promote bilingual education" for both Chinese and ethnic minority languages and "respect and safeguard the rights of ethnic minority children to receive education in their own languages," said the outline released by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The country will also intensify its training of teachers in ethnic group areas while further enhancing educational support for developed regions and large- and medium-sized cities, it said.