BEIJING - China saw an increase in the number of international students from countries covered by the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative last year, said the Ministry of Education Monday.

A total of 317,200 students from B&R countries studied in China in 2017, up 11.58 percent over 2016, accounting for 64.85 percent of the total international students in China, said a ministry statement.

About 490,000 foreigners from 204 countries and regions studied in China in 2017, more than any other country in Asia.

Some Chinese universities have launched programs inspired by the B&R Initiative to attract students from countries covered by it.

Renmin University of China, for instance, established a new college, named after the Silk Road, earlier this month on the campus in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou. The college will formally open in September, offering a two-year postgraduate program on contemporary Chinese studies. It will provide full scholarships for international students.

Six other universities also signed an agreement with the Belt and Road Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission to enroll more international students from B&R countries.