Latest statistics from the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Education show that by January 2005, Suzhou has 2894 overseas students from five continents studying at local preschools, primary schools and middle schools all around the city and the county.

Suzhou has witnessed rapid and healthy growth for its open economy in recent years. About 90 of the top 500 companies and more than 10,000 export-oriented businesses, 40% of which are foreign-funded, have presence in Suzhou. Accompanying these businesses are a large number of foreigners and their families working and living here.

Currently Suzhou has nearly 3000 overseas students from 31 countries including South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the United States, Germany, France, Peru, Canada, the United Kingdom and Malaysia, mostly from the first five countries. Overseas students of Chinese ethnicity are mainly from Taiwan.

The number of overseas students will continue to increase as Suzhou's open economy keeps growing and as more international schools are opened. Statistics show that the number of overseas students studying in Suzhou is increasing year by year. In the 2003 to 2004 academic year, the number of students increased by more than 300 from the previous academic year, and for the 2004 to 2005 academic year that number has grown by another 500.

(Chinanews.cn February 2, 2005)