BEIJING, May 6  -- China's prestigious Peking University has accepted 99 students onto its MA in China Studies, it said on Wednesday.

The students include 24 from 12 Chinese mainland universities, and 75 from 46 universities in 33 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as elite institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge universities.

"We considered academic performance, career prospects, interests and intercultural communication experience during selection," said a representative of the program.

The course is based at the Yenching Academy of Peking University and will begin in September. Lectures will be on Chinese history, culture and contemporary economic and social development.