Photo: Kathmandu University

China Daily Asia Weekly, which is published in 15 countries including Nepal, has provided scholarships to two Nepali journalism students.

Zhang Haizhou, assistant to the publisher of China Daily Asia Pacific, handed over scholarship award certificates to Unnat Sapkota and Nisha Kunwar (see pic, right), both journalism students at the Kathmandu University (KU), at an event held in Hattiban, Lalitpur on Sunday.

This is the first time that China Daily Asia Weekly has provided journalism scholarship in South Asia.

Zhang Bing, first secretary at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, who was also present at the scholarship award distribution ceremony, said the China government has been offering 30 types of scholarships to Nepali students every year and is planning to provide more in the future. He said that such scholarship programs will help strengthen diplomatic relations between Nepal and China.

Mahesh Banskota, Dean of School of Arts at the KU, said such scholarship programs will encourage more students to strive for excellence.

China Daily Asia weekly is being published in Nepal in association with Nepali Times since May, 2013.