German auto giant Volkswagen donated five of its most innovative domestically produced engines and three advanced transmissions to Yan'an Vocational & Technical College and sponsored the establishment of the VW Group China Yan'an Powertrain Lab in Shaanxi province on Tuesday.

Volkswagen Group China Executive Vice-president Zhang Suixin delivers a speech at the donation ceremony in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, May 6, 2014. [Hao Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]

The donation and sponsorship, both key components of Volkswagen's support for the Rainbow Bridge Project, are expected to improve the college's quality of teaching and support the cultivation of professional auto talents in China's historically important yet less developed areas.

"Volkswagen's support of the Rainbow Bridge Project builds on the advantages of the Group's 'dual vocational education system' and supports vocational education and training in China's historically important yet less developed areas to improve local auto-industry job opportunities," said Zhang Suixin, executive vice-president of Volkswagen Group China.

The engines donated are TSI 1.8-liter, two disassemble TSI 2-liter, an EA211 1.6l MPI MQ, and an EA211 1.4-liter TSI engines; the transmissions are DQ200 and MQ200 gearboxes.

"With the Rainbow Bridge Project, Volkswagen is already providing the junior football teams of Zhidan and Hong'an new opportunities, such as exchanges with Germany. Now, with its commitment to talents training in China's historically important yet less developed areas, Volkswagen is furthering the sustainable development of the Chinese society," said Zhang.

Establishing the lab, Volkswagen is further promoting the education of new talents for tomorrow's auto industry and helping young people from historically important yet less developed areas realize their dreams.

"To improve people's education level is more important than merely providing financial support to help the less developed areas. Those regions are more short of well-trained talents, compared with developed major cities. The key is to teach the youth how to fish, rather than give them fish," said Yang Meihong, VW Group China vice-president.

VW Group will provide instructors of Yan'an Vocational & Technical College with onsite training at Volkswagen Group's assemble plant in Shanghai, and gearbox plant in Dalian, during the summer break.

Volkswagen's commitment to the Rainbow Bridge Project, which Volkswagen joined in 2013, focuses on expanding people-to-people diplomacy between China and Germany, supporting historically important yet less developed areas, and giving full play to the advantageous resources of Volkswagen.