To enhance training for high-level backbone personnel from ethnic minorities, the Chinese government has decided, on an experimental basis, to enroll 2,500 students for Master's and PhD programs from ethnic minority areas in 2005, says a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council Monday.

According to the white paper entitled Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities in China, the goal of 2007 is to enroll 5,000 people, thus making the total number of such students reach 15,000.

China helps ethnic autonomous areas universalize nine-year compulsory education and develop diverse forms of education. Ethnic autonomous areas are key target areas for the state's plans to basically universalize nine-year compulsory education and basically eliminate illiteracy among the young and middle-aged population, says the white paper.

The "Compulsory Education Project for Impoverished Areas" launched by China is also geared to the ethnic minority areas in western China, according to the white paper.

Furthermore, the state also establishes institutes of higher learning and opens classes and preparatory courses for ethnic minority students. Institutes of higher learning and polytechnic schools have lowered admission standards for ethnic minority students, and give special preference to applicants from ethnic minorities with a very small population.

So far, there are 13 institutes of higher learning for ethnic minorities in China. In more developed areas there are middle schools for ethnic minorities and ethnic minority classes in ordinary middle schools enrolling ethnic minority students, the white paper says.