Over 90 percent of the government-sponsored students who studied overseas during the 1996- 1999 period have returned to China, said an official from the Ministry of Education (MOE) on December 22 in Beijing.

He said that from 1996 through this year, the Chinese government has sponsored 5,776 students to study in other countries, and over 90 percent of the 3,657 students who have completed their studies returned to China.

According to the official, a 3-day national working conference on government-sponsored students began on December 22 in Shanghai and announced the achievements made by China in this regard since 1995, and the plan for selecting students to study overseas in 2000.

The MOE will select government-sponsored students according to the policy of applications by the individual, appraisal by experts, equal competition, and selecting the best qualified.

More than 5,000 Chinese have applied for government sponsorship to study overseas this year, and 1,500 were selected. These students will pursue advanced studies in 42 countries.

The MOE will also select about 500 high level scholars among department chairmen from key universities to continue advanced research in foreign countries.