NBA stars will face China's top players in a charity basketball game next month to benefit poor schools and children in far western China, Yao Ming announced Thursday.

The charity game, organized by Yao and Steve Nash, will go Sept. 14 in Beijing, the two players said at a press conference.

Yao Ming, centre, says every coin raised by the planned charity game between NBA players and Chinese stars will go to Chinese children.
(Associated Press)

"Steve told me he wanted to do something for poor kids," Yao explained. "And now that idea is finally becoming a reality … every coin will be sent to the kids who need it."

Funds raised by the game will go to China Youth Development Foundation, which will use the money to build schools and pay the tuitions of mentally challenged and poor students in China's poverty-stricken western regions, Yao said. He did not say how much they expected to raise.

NBA stars expected to play include Nash, Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Leandro Barbosa and Chuck Hayes, he said.

Nash, the Victoria-raised, two-time NBA most valuable player, who spoke to reporters at the press conference via telephone, said he was grateful to have the chance to work with Yao to help Chinese kids.