Teachers from 11 universities in Beijing's Haidian district, including Beijing University and Qinghua University, have paid 13.16 million yuan in personal income taxes this year.

Teachers from Qinghua paid 4.78 million yuan, an increase of 2.16 million yuan over last year. This university has started giving special bonuses to outstanding teachers, and about 100 renowned scholars have received 50,000 yuan each annually. Teachers were previously considered at the lower ladder of incomes.

Ren Yanshen, secretary of the Beijing University Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that China has allocated a large amount of money to increase college teachers' salaries.

Ren said the state is expected to earmark 1.8 billion yuan for Beijing University over the next three years.

Chen Wenshen, assistant president of Beijing University, said his school came up with an incentive plan under which good teachers are rewarded with higher pay, and the government has

helped achieve this goal within the century.

More nationally-known professors have stepped into China's college classrooms and opened some key basic courses to undergraduates, who previously had no opportunities to study under

the famed professors.

An official from the Ministry of Education said that now is a prime time to be a college professor in China.