A doctoral scholarship program has been set up to sponsor outstanding ASEAN students, teachers, scholars, officials and enterprise staff members to pursue doctoral degrees at Guangxi Minzu University, officials of the university announced on June 28.

The program is aimed to enhance mutual understanding between the people of China and ASEAN countries and to deepen exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in various fields.

Guangxi has been attaching great importance to exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries in the education sector, and has set up a number of scholarship programs for students from ASEAN countries. Some colleges and universities have also set up special scholarships, forming a scholarship framework for international students at national, autonomous region and school levels.

A student from Laos who is studying at Guangxi Minzu University noted that the scholarship has helped reduce the financial burden on ASEAN students, so that more of their energy can now be devoted to studying.

Guangxi has long been the frontier and window of China's opening up and cooperation efforts toward ASEAN countries. In recent years, the region has continuously deepened international educational exchanges and cooperation, and has striven to increase the influence of its "Study in Guangxi" brand.

Currently, Guangxi has become one of the provinces and regions in China with the largest number of students from ASEAN countries.