Malaysia is home to the mighty Petronas Towers seen here reaching high into Kuala Lumpur's night sky.

It is also home to many families who place a high value on their ancestral ties to China and its rich cultural heritage.

Many young people get an excellent start in life by attending Malaysia's private Chinese schools. These are run by groups of dedicated people determined to overcome all obstacles and give their students a top quality education with a strong Chinese flavor.

Historically many of these young scholars have gone on to achieve success in higher education, often going overseas to study in such countries as the UK, Australia and the US. However, they are now beginning to look to China as the place to further their studies.

From March 24 to April 2 this year, the United Chinese School Committee's Association of Malaysia hosted a most successful touring expo by representatives of many of China's top universities. This was just the second visit of its kind following a trail-blazing event two years ago.

On 25 March, the delegates went to the New Era College in Kuala Lumpur where they received a warm welcome from Principal Kua Kia Soong, CEO Bock Tai Hee and many other new friends.

The Mid Valley Exhibition Center in Kuala Lumpur was the expo venue for 26 and 27 March.

Here the Chinese universities found many interested visitors coming to their stands.

By 30 March, the expo found itself just across the straits from Singapore in the Foon Yew High School in Johor Bahru where interest in China was running high.

Then it was off to meet the ethnic Chinese community in Kuching (the name means cats) in the wonderful tourist destination of Sarawak to prepare for the final day of the expo in the Chung Hau Number One Middle School.

The visitors found Malaysia to be a lovely country where people of Chinese origin often look with great affection towards China and are now beginning to view a new, modern China as an attractive place in which their children can find a wealth of opportunities in higher education.

(China.org.cn by Colin Campbell of Yunnan University, April 5, 2005)