TORONTO,July 20 (Xinhua)-- The Chinese government handed out a prestigious scholarship as a sign of support to 14 of its most outstanding overseas self-financed PhD students in Toronto on Friday.

Recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarship for Outstanding Self-financed Students Studying Abroad program were recognized for their hard work and accomplishments, and each received a 6,000 U.S. Dollars cheque from Chinese Consul General Fang Li.

Selected out of a pool of about 70 students, the 14 awardees were chosen based on their academic achievements from five universities spanning the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba.

Li said the scholarship is meant not only to help students fund their studies abroad, but also acts as a symbolic gesture from the Chinese government as a sign of support and to encourage them in furthering their studies.

"In the last 34 years, China has been sending overseas over two million students studying overseas," he said. "Since 2003, the Chinese government has put a lot of importance to those students studying overseas, especially to those self-financed students. Right now, we carry out the system to encourage them to study better, and for the country and for the country they're studying in."

While the scholarship will assist students who are living abroad on their own expense from a financial aspect, one of the scholarship recipients Jieshu Qian said it means much more to him than just a cheque.

"Money itself like other people say, it's not a lot, but it's not just a little. This money is just a symbolic sign for me," he said.

Aspiring to be a professor one day, the chemistry PhD student now in his fifth year at the University of Toronto, is hoping to further his knowledge with a post-doctoral program. He said that receiving the recognition makes him realize his hard work hasn't gone unnoticed.

"It means a lot, first of all, it means that my homeland recognize me, it's not only I am satisfied by my own achievements, but it's also recognized by my country, by the professors in China," he said. "I want to be a professor in China, so this award is particularly means a lot to me because everyone in China knows this."

Baochun Li, an electrical and computer engineering professor from the University of Toronto, said for students who travel across the world to study, this scholarship will be a big boost to their confidence.

"Previously, without this scholarship, the students will think they're here alone," he said. "With this scholarship, I think it makes a lot of sense in the sense that the country as a destination for work and a destination for launching a career becomes much more attractive."

Consul General Li described the 14 scholarship recipients as representatives of China. He says Chinese students living abroad will help strengthen the bond between the two countries.

"I think those self-financed students in Canada, they are ambassadors really, they are promoting the friendship between our two countries, Canada and China," he said.

The scholarship program has been helping Chinese students in reaching their academic goals since 2003. More than 2,900 overseas students have benefited from this program. Nearly 100 of those who have been selected are from Ontario and Manitoba.