55 Turkish college students won a Chinese scholarship for their outstanding studies of the Chinese language and well-written essays about China.

"We're now even more aware of our potential in learning Chinese. We can achieve big success stories," Melike Yalkut from Istanbul University said on behalf of the scholarship winners.

When she first started to learn Chinese, Yalkut only knew China is a big country and was amazed by its rapid growth.

Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, described students as "the future of Turkey."

"That is why we care about them and encourage them to learn Chinese so that our relations will grow even further," he said at the awarding ceremony.

Meanwhile, four Chinese students pursuing studies at Turkish universities were granted the scholarship as well.