The Tsang Hin Chi Education Foundation on Thursday gave scholarships to 1,750 low-income Chinese college students, who received 3,600 yuan (527 US dollars) each for academic excellence.

Tsang Hin Chi, chairman of Hong Kong-based Goldlion Holdings Limited, encouraged the students to study hard and serve the country.

The foundation was set up in 1992 by Tsang, who donated 100 million Hong Kong dollars (13 million US dollars), in a joint effort with the Chinese Ministry of Education.

It has so far given out 100 million yuan to more than 7,000 Chinese teachers and 16,000 university students.

Helping low-income college students is an important way of raising living standards, Vice Education Minister Yuan Guiren said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2008)