Speaking in Hong Kong on Monday, US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Maura Harty said 98 percent of Hong Kong student applicants had received visas to study in America last year.

 

Harty was speaking at a meeting attended by a group of Hong Kong university students. She said Chinese were welcome to study in America and in 2006 the majority of Hong Kong students had been successful in applying for visas. 

 

She observed that studying abroad could help form a strong bond between nations. Hong Kong students receiving academic training in the US could assist American people better understand Hong Kong, Harty said.

 

According to Harty, there are about 62,000 Chinese students currently studying in America and she expressed hope that there can be more.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2007)