Accra, Aug. 22, GNA - The Chinese government has doubled its scholarship to Africa to 4,000 students per year, Mr Yu Wenzhe, China Ambassador, has said.

He said the package was China's contribution to help Africa to achieve its goals.

Mr Wenzhe said this at a reception hosted for 34 Ghanaian students who have received Chinese government scholarships for 2008/2009 academic year.

The National Scholarship Secretariat, ministries and other institutions recommended the students.

Mr Wenzhe said his government valued these educational scholarships as means of boosting friendship between the two countries and urged the students to learn hard and pass on the knowledge acquired for the benefit of the country.

Mr Wenzhe said China was also helping the University of Ghana in making Chinese language attractive to students of the university. Mr Felix Lansah, Registrar of the National Scholarship Secretariat, appealed to the beneficiaries to be worthy ambassadors by applying themselves diligently to their studies and exhibiting the highest sense of discipline.

He said Ghana, as a country hoping to become a middle income country by 2015, would always take the opportunity to learn the values and work ethics of China.

Mr Samuel Owusu, a student, on behalf of his colleagues thanked the Chinese government and said the opportunity would enrich their experience both academically and culturally.

He said they would be law abiding and go about their academic work with all the diligence it deserved.