Consul general of China in Vancouver, Liu Fei (front row, centre), with the winners of the 2014 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad and Outstanding Self-Financed Students from Xinjiang. [Photo by HATTY LIU / FOR CHINA DAILY]

Ten Chinese students at Vancouver-area universities have been awarded scholarships from the Chinese government in recognition of their studies.

At the May 9 awards ceremony, Liu Fei, Chinese consul general in Vancouver, gave an opening address highlighting the Chinese national policy to "support studying abroad, encourage repatriation, facilitate bilateral movement and develop applications for knowledge".

"The nation's hopes and future are in the hands of young people … and we hope that they will soon make their academic dreams, professional dreams and the China Dream come together," Liu said.

Eight students received the 2014 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad. The two other students received the Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Liu also thanked the Canadian scholars who made the students' experience possible by serving as their supervisors and examiners. "The results that these award-winners achieved are the joint achievement of their Canadian and Chinese education," she said.

Award-winners also took the stage to discuss their research, academic background and future aspirations, as well as thank their supervisors and the consulate for their support.

"The scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me because it is not only a means of economic support, but also represents the nation's support and esteem for its scholars abroad," Xie Yicheng, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia's neuroscience department, told the audience.

"I am thankful for the nation's expression of confidence in our studies and research achievements abroad," said Jin Wuyang, a PhD candidate in neurobiology at UBC.

Results of the students' research were presented to the audience, ranging from the digital preservation of the intangible cultural heritage of Xinjiang to the seismic design of bridges to benefit both Canada's and China's earthquake-prone western regions.

The Chinese government scholarship was established in 2003. More than 500 students in 29 countries received the 2014 scholarships, awarded in amounts of $6,000 and $10,000.

The Xinjiang scholarship was created in 2011 to recognize outstanding research and scholarship by students from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and to encourage students to return to Xinjiang to work and improve the region's scientific knowledge and human capital.

The 2014 scholarship winners were chosen from more than 36,000 Chinese students under the jurisdiction of the Vancouver consulate in western Canada. Around 460,000 students left China to study abroad in 2014.