A group of Chinese graduates who studied at UK universities have raised $47,000 to donate a pair of ventilators to the UK's National Health Service.

The machines are being shipped from Shanghai together with 74 other ventilators purchased by the UK government.

The former students were all part of the UK government's Chevening program, designed to encourage future leaders to come to Britain to study.

In a message to the British people, the graduates quoted Queen Elizabeth II, declaring "we'll meet again."

"We wish an early recovery and reunion with family to all suffering from the epidemic," they said.

The 300 graduates, coordinated by Alex Zhang, who studied at the University of Cambridge in 2008, raised the money in one week.

A note attached to each of the two ventilators, purchased from Nanjing Cheneei Medical Equipment Co read: "We are with you." It was accompanied by a Chinese proverb: "Through wind and rain, we stand together."

In a press release, the UK minister of state for Asia, Nigel Adams said: "Thank you to the graduates from the UK government's Chevening program for their fundraising efforts. 

"In total, we have now shipped over 800 ventilators from China and we continue to seek deliveries for more."