US Colleges See China as Promising Market

Following Britain and Australia, the United States held an exhibition on higher education in Beijing last weekend to persuade more Chinese parents to invest in sending their children abroad to receive a college education.

Chen Da'an with the US Education Fund and the exhibition sponsor, said it helps narrow the gap between wishing to get a college education and opportunities available in China presently.

After all, the majority of youngsters cannot go to colleges in China.

But studying abroad also means that every student has to spend an average of US$20,000 each year, while US college students pay less than foreign students, Chen said.

These overseas students will bring an annual revenue of US$7.5 billion to the United States by paying tuition and daily expense, according to a report.

In China, an average of 25,000 Chinese go abroad to study each year, bringing 4 billion yuan (US$482 million) total with them, if they spend between 140,000 yuan (US$17,000) to 180,000 yuan (US$21,700) there.

Economists pointed out that education has become one of the most profitable industries in domestic market nowadays.

A survey conducted by government departments earlier showed that Chinese families spend more on education than on housing.

You Qingquan, a member of the National Committee of the Ninth Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also agreed with this conclusion.

He said at the third session of the committee that the enlarged recruitment of 331,000 college students in 1999 will lead to 2 billion yuan (US$241 million) in additional education expense each year, if everyone spends an average 6,000 yuan (US$723).

But, sources with the US Education Fund explained that they come for Chinese students' intellectual potential, not for profits.

Chen Da'an said Chinese students going abroad is good for themselves and the countries they go to.

If China could benefit, it is up to the country's working environment, he said. China should improve its working environment to attract more Chinese students to come back home and serve their country.

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