Chinese fans are snapping up tickets to Canadian pop-punk starlet Avril Lavigne's mainland debut concert next month.

The 22-year-old "Sk8er Boi" singer is set to rock an audience of 6,000 at Shanghai Qi Zhong Tennis Center on August 15, with a follow-up show in Hong Kong on August 18.

Her musician hubby, Deryck Whibley, best known as the lead vocalist of Canadian punk band Sum 41, reportedly will accompany her along the way.

Lavigne, who visited Hong Kong back in May promoting her third studio album The Best Damn Thing, will perform her single hit Girlfriend in Mandarin at her Shanghai concert.

The local Oriental Morning Post says more than half tickets for the Shanghai show have sold since sales opened a few days ago.

The report quotes organizers as saying 80 percent of tickets cost less than 400 yuan (US$53), in a bid to reach more financially-dependent young audiences, who compose a major part of Lavinge's fans in China.

Given the performance location's distance from the city center, the organizer has announced they will prepare free shuttle buses.

(CRI.cn July 25, 2007)