The Rong Yiren Foundation on Friday awarded 73 grants to China's top acrobats who have won prizes in international acrobatic contests since 2004.

Grants awarded by the Rong Yiren Foundation, named after late Chinese Vice-President Rong Yiren, at the ceremony totaled 26 million yuan (3.33 million U.S. dollars) by the Rong Yiren Foundation, which is named after late Chinese Vice-President Rong Yiren.

Acrobatics has a history of more than 3,000 years in China and Chinese acrobats have won prizes in international acrobatic contests since 1956.

The grants jointly awarded by the Ministry of Culture and the foundation aimed to encourage more achievements.

After the award ceremony, the winners staged a performance. Vice President Zeng Qinghong was present at the award ceremony.

Rong Yiren, former Chinese vice president and founder of China's largest investment company China International Trust and Investment Corp., died of illness aged 89 in Beijing last year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2006)