LOME, March 30-- The charity foundation of China Merchants Group (CMG) inaugurated a scholarship program in Togo's University of Lome Monday, and will provide 200,000 U.S. dollars to the university to assist excellent students.

"It is the outcome of cooperation between Togo and China," said CMG's general manager Li Xiaopeng, who is also the honorable chairman of CMG's charity foundation.

The donations will help the university nuture skilled hands needed in the development of port industry in the West African country.

Togo's Minister of Higher Education and Research Octave Broohm thanked CMG for setting up the scholarship program, and said it is a measure of quality and vision to invest in the youth.

Along with assisting in local economic development, Chinese enterprises have made contributions to the cultivation of talents, benefiting the growth of Togolese youth, said Broohm, noting that the investment in talents is a sign of sustained cooperation between Togo and China.

"We will see to probity measures to be applied in the management of the donation", said Professor Messanvi Gbeassor, president of the university.

The Chinese embassador to Togo Liu Yuxi also attended the launching ceremony.

In August 2012, China Merchants Holdings (International) Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CMG, acquired a 50-percent stake in the Thesar Maritime Ltd., which owns the right to develop and operate Lome's container terminal project for 35 years. The project is designed to make Togo an important port to receive mega container-carriers from Asia and Europe.