Washington, June 25 (IANS) The National Basketball Association (NBA) will spend 10 million yuan (about $1.6 mn) in financing construction and refurbishing of public basketball courts in Chinese cities, media reported on Thursday.

NBA China CEO David Shoemaker and Chinese Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping signed a memorandum of understanding over the decision, Xinhua news agency reported.

The pledge will help expand the existing partnership between NBA China and the Chinese ministry of education, aiming to spread basketball education in China and advance youth development in Chinese schools.

As a part of the initial rollout of the expanded partnership, the NBA has recently announced the creation of three public basketball courts at the Oriental Pearl Tower Plaza in Shanghai, the Longgang Universiade Center in Shenzhen, and the High-Tech Sports Center in Chongqing.