China to launch new government scholarship for 'Belt and Road' students in 2017

China will set up a special government scholarship in 2017 to annually sponsor no less than 3,000 foreign students from countries along the routes of the "Belt and Road" initiative to study in China, CCTV reported.

China will set up a special government scholarship in 2017 to annually sponsor no less than 3,000 foreign students from countries along the routes of the "Belt and Road" initiative to study in China. [Photo: China Plus]

The forthcoming "Belt and Road" scholarship program is reportedly an extra supplement to the existing Chinese Government Scholarships.

According to officials from China's Ministry of Education, the new government scholarship will be awarded in the following three levels:

- First, ministry- and commission-level cooperation, to reserve talents in important fields, such as energy, transportation, communication, finance and maritime research;

- Second, provincial-level cooperation, to strength regional scholarship support along the routes;

- Third, employment-side cooperation, to encourage Chinese colleges and universities to cooperate with the state-owned enterprises, government sectors of "Belt and Road" nations and foreign universities to cultivate talents with specific orientations.

Statistics show that there were about 49,000 foreign students studying in China as recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarships in 2016, with those from "Belt and Road" countries accounting for more than 60%. The proportion may reach around 65% after the establishment of the new scholarship.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the program of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the development strategy and framework aim at connectivity and cooperation among Asian, European and African countries along the ancient trade routes.