The first academy aimed at promoting Taiwanese culture will open in Los Angeles next spring, Taiwan's office in the West Coast city said Saturday. Kung Chung-cheng, director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Los Angeles, said that preparations, including planning the courses and hiring teachers for the academy, have largely been completed, The planned courses will cover calligraphy, glove puppetry, Taiwan's tea culture, and language training. A crucial feature of the academy will be the teaching of traditional Chinese characters, in contrast with the simplified version used in China and taught in Confucius Institutes set up by China around the world to promote Chinese language and culture. Hui Ban Giang, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office's Cultural Division, said the Taiwan Academy will be easily differentiated from the Chinese institutes because they will focus more on promoting culture and introduce customs and cultural traits that are distinctive to Taiwan. Language training will also be available to complement the academy's cultural component, Giang said. The opening of these Taiwan academies around the world was one of the major campaign pledges of President Ma Ying-jeou during the 2008 presidential election. 