The group of 330 former students were part of the UK government’s Chevening program, which enables future global leaders to study in the country and create positive change around the world.

“We wish to help British people ride out the storm”

The total donations amounted to £38,000 and came amid growing concern over a shortage of personal protective equipment for the frontline medical staff in Britain.

The donation was coordinated by Chevening alumni Alex Zhang who studied an MBA at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge in 2008.

In the open letter, the alumni wrote: “we wish to show our support and care by standing with British people in fighting with the pandemic”.

“As the alumni of Chevening Scholars who have a fond memory of studying in the UK, we wish to help British people ride out the storm by making our modest contributions,” it read.

“To that end, within one week, 330 Chevening scholars from different cities and various industries joined together, donated £38,000 and purchased two sets of ventilators.

“As our motto of being visionary, initiative and exemplary goes, we Chinese Chevening Scholars wish to show our support and care by standing with British people in fighting with the pandemic.

“We have good faith and wish a full and swift success in our joint effort. Also, we wish an early recovery and reunion with family to all suffering from the epidemic!”

The alumni group attached a note to each ventilator that read “We are with you” and included the Chinese proverb 风雨同舟 (which means ‘through wind and rain, we stand together / we are all in the same boat).

Minister of State for Asia, Nigel Adams, thanked the graduates for their fundraising efforts.

UK alumni are the “bedrock” of UK-China relations and form a strong professional network of ambassadors who can promote effective relations between UK and China, the government added.

There are currently over 200,000 Chinese students studying in the UK and over 600,000 alumni from UK universities.