China will send 7,000 people to study in overseas educational institutes in 2006, the largest number ever sent by the State since the opening-up and reform drive was launched in 1978.

The China Scholarship Council (CSC) announced that it will select and send around 7,000 students to study in the top-notch universities worldwide, an increase of 75 percent over the previous year.

CSC will select applicants from 35 central government departments, state academies and key industrial enterprises.

It will provide the students with various forms of financial support including full national scholarships and sustentation funds from applicant's units and overseas institutes.

China has also witnessed increasing number of overseas students studying in the country this year, with an increase of 9 percent over the figure of 110,000 registered in 2004, according to the CSC source.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2005)