Peking University (PKU), China's most prestigious institute of higher learning, started a fundraising campaign Monday in the United States through an education foundation registered in California.
The university hopes that contributions from its alumni and other sources in the United States would help create scholarships, teaching development programs and facility improvement and campus construction projects.
Describing the PKU Education Foundation (USA) as "an important link between PKU and the United States," university president Xu Zhihong, who is now on a visit in the United States, expressed hope that "all of our friends in the United States will support the construction and development of the PKU Education Foundation."
According to Xu, PKU students began to study in the United States ever since the beginning of the 20th century. There are 12, 000 PKU alumni who, with their knowledge, wisdom and ability, are contributing to the political, economic and cultural development in the United States.
In recent years, Xu said, PKU increased its academic exchanges, studies and research activities with more than 50 universities and other educational institutions in the United States.
Xu believed that the PKU Education Foundation (USA) will help increase and strengthen the channels of exchange between PKU and its counterparts in the United States.
(Xinhua 04/17/2001)
