WASHINGTON, June 24 -- NBA China announced Tuesday a RMB 10 million (US$ 1.6 million) pledge in a joint effort with the Chinese Ministry of Education to build and refurbish public basketball courts across China.

The pledge expands the existing partnership between NBA China and the Ministry of Education to promote basketball education and youth development in elementary, middle, high schools and universities in China.

The pledge was formalized at a signing ceremony yesterday by NBA China CEO David Shoemaker and Chinese Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping at the U.S.-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Washington, D.C.

As part of the initial rollout of the expanded partnership, the NBA recently announced the creation of three public basketball courts with ground-breaking ceremonies at the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the Longgang Universiade Center in Shenzhen, and the High-Tech Sports Center in Chongqing.

"The NBA is delighted to be part of the sixth Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, and we are ready to take our youth development efforts to the next level with this RMB 10 million investment to build basketball courts throughout China," said Shoemaker. "We thank the Chinese Ministry of Education for its partnership, which demonstrates our mutual commitment to growing the sport of basketball in China."

Representing Chinese student basketball talent, the Tsinghua High School Varsity team was in Houston June 16-21 attending six days of basketball clinics conducted by Houston Rockets Player Development Coach Kevin Burleson. The students also participated in scrimmages and various community visits.