The United States issued over 350,000 visas to Chinese students, businessmen and tourists in 2006, up 18 percent on the previous year.

Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, said visas to Chinese citizens accounted for eight percent of the total visas America issued last year.

About 75 percent of Chinese citizens succeed in obtaining a visa and the ratio for students is much higher, Harty said in a recent visit to Shanghai.

At present, about 62,000 Chinese students are studying in the United States, making up 11 percent of the total foreign students, second only to students from India.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2007)