A total of 36 contracts involving 120 million yuan (US$ 14.4 million) have recently been signed between Qinghua University, one of China's most prestigious schools, and Henan Province in central China.

The contracts, concerning machinery, electronics, biochemistry, computer science and environmental protection, have allowed the university to offer scientific and technological support to central and western China.

According to the agreements, specialists and economists from the university will participate in the mid- and long-term economic development planning of the province, and the two parties will jointly train personnel and upgrade technology.

Qinghua President Wang Dazhong said that the province plays a key role in the development of the central and western part of the country, and Qinghua would like to make use of its advantages in the hi-tech field to help further develop Henan, which has abundant natural resources and a large population.

The university has provided Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, and Guangdong provinces with hi-tech support in the last decade, pushing the growth of local economies in these areas.