Girl power has come to the fore again this year in the annual national college entrance exam, reports Beijing Morning Post.

Of the 36 top students admitted to liberal arts Peking University from various provinces, 28 were girls.

Among the eight provincial champions of science, an area that used to be considered dominated by man, the girls took half the places.

At the top science university of China, Tsinghua, girls accounted for 29.6 per cent this year, up from 23.6 per cent in 1999.

At China University of Political Science and Law, the number of girl students for the first time surpassed that of boys.

Some said it is a result of the increase of woman teachers in middle schools.

Others contend that with many families having only one child, parents lay stress on education irrespective of their offspring's gender.

(China Daily HongKong Edition 07/11/2002)