The website of the Ministry of Education states that having sufficient funds, qualified teaching staff, advanced facilities and housing are four basic requirements to open international kindergartens in China.

Li Daojia, senior researcher of preschool education at the China National Institute for Educational Research, says it generally costs between 4 million yuan and 6 million yuan to open a private international kindergarten in first-tier cities.

The kindergarten should also have professional chef, nutritionist, security and transportation teams.

To many parents, the reason behind choosing an international kindergarten is simple.

"They like the English-speaking environment, European teaching styles, foreign teachers and good-looking uniforms, which are considered signs of 'quality education' in modern cities.

"Therefore, they are willing to pay high tuition fees for their children," Li says.

Children's House Montessori Kindergarten, another international kindergarten chain, has established three international kindergartens and one bilingual one in Beijing.

In 2009, Children's House received the green light to open its first bilingual kindergarten in Beijing and now has more than 60 pupils in five classes.

Paula Herbert, who is from

the UK and is principal at a Children's House Montessori Kindergarten in Beijing, says about 20 children are waiting for places at her kindergarten because it offers services that are not available at Chinese kindergartens.

"We have been here for almost 20 years," she says. The kindergarten does not advertise and depends more on word of mouth.

"Our families tell other families, that is the best advertising," Herbert says.

"One of the main differences between international and Chinese kindergartens is that we can accept children at the age of one-and-a-half.

"Many parents are busy with their work and prefer sending their children here to accept education earlier, instead of hiring nannies at home."

Children have to be at least 3 to enroll at a local kindergarten.

The Chinese government generally does not interfere with international kindergartens' syllabus or operations and allows them to set up their teaching plans and choose textbooks from Europe or the US.

Liao Liying, secretary-general of the China National Society of Early Childhood Education, says Chinese kindergartens are more inclined to teach English, Chinese, addition and subtraction.

"Children cannot learn much sensorial, creative, cultural or practical life knowledge at Chinese kindergartens, due to the contents of their courses which are relatively dry and boring," Liao says.

The shortage of available places at international kindergartens will also not be resolved soon as the number of international kindergartens itself is still very small, Liao says.