Plans to build strong links between the Bay of Plenty and China's Nanchang city will see four senior Western Bay secondary students head to the city on art scholarships next month.

Among those most excited about the scholarships is New Zealand China Friendship Society's Tauranga Branch president John Hodgson, who hopes closer links can be built with Nanchang and the wider Jiangxi province in central China.

Arts scholarship recipients Helena Jones, Samara Somerville-Petch and Simone Petero are heading to Nanchang China for a short study trip next month. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

'The Jiangxi Foreign Affairs Office is very interested in establishing a close relationship with the Bay of Plenty; and these scholarships are hopefully just the start,” says John, who was based in Nanchang for four years and has played a key role in driving the relationship.

The first month-long art scholarships went to Otumoetai College students saxophonist Helena Jones, artist Simone Petero and pianist-singer Samara Somerville-Petch, along with Tauranga Girls' College singer Taylor Asher-Law. Three Rotorua students also received scholarships.

'China is our biggest trading partner but there is still lot of misinformation about it,” says John.

'Just by giving the students the experience, they will gain knowledge and understanding.”

The scholarships enable students who have shown excellence in the arts to attend a secondary school in Nanchang for a month.

Ultimately, John would like to see the Bay's relationship with the four million-strong Nanchang lead to more tourism, trade and education opportunities.

Simone says she's thrilled about the opportunity to immerse herself in a foreign culture and learn traditional Chinese art techniques, while fellow Year 13 pianist and singer Samara is aiming to learn how they incorporate music in their culture.

'I want to find out about their approach to music and bring back that knowledge to share and apply it here. It's such a great opportunity,” says Samara.

Another scholarship programme on offer for the first time this year is seeing pairs of students developing research projects on China, with the best earning scholarships to complete the work in Nanchang. John hopes the scholarship programme, which is funded by the Simon Deng Cultural Exchange Fund, will be expanded and offered annually.