For the first time since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington the US Consulate General officials announced yesterday that the number of students applying for US visas has returned to pre-September 11, 2001 levels.

 

Student visa applications had increased 40 percent over the past year, officials said. The consulate issued nearly 12,000 student visas for the fiscal year running from October 2005 to September 2006. About 87 percent of applications were approved.

 

Currently more than 65,000 Chinese are studying in the US with most of them being graduate students. Almost five percent of all graduate students in the US are Chinese.

 

"We welcome Chinese students," said consulate official Charles Jess. "They bring a diversity of ideas and culture. The US government believes Chinese students will return to their country to become leaders in their vocations and help enhance mutual understanding," he said.

 

(Shanghai Daily October 26, 2006)