On September 29, 2024, the USC U.S.-China Institute hosted a workshop at the Huntington’s Chinese garden, offering K-12 educators hands-on insights into using the garden as a teaching tool. With expert presentations, a guided tour, and new resources, the event explored how Chinese gardens' rich history and cultural significance can be integrated into classrooms. Interested in learning more? Click below for details on the workshop and upcoming programs for educators.
Increasing numbers of Chinese coming to the United States
ON AN AVERAGE DAY in 2006 878 people from China visited the United States. This number represented a 62% increase over 1996. Roughly five times as many Americans visited China as Chinese visited the United States. This indicates the greater ease for foreigners to go to China and the greater number of Americans capable of affording overseas travel.
Visitors from
(in 000s) |
1991
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
China
|
89
|
210
|
209
|
191
|
249
|
232
|
226
|
157
|
203
|
270
|
320
|
Hong Kong
|
178
|
222
|
213
|
193
|
203
|
170
|
135
|
114
|
123
|
135
|
137
|
Macau
|
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
Taiwan
|
268
|
443
|
386
|
453
|
457
|
357
|
288
|
239
|
298
|
319
|
300
|
Totals
|
535
|
880
|
813
|
841
|
913
|
762
|
651
|
512
|
626
|
727
|
760
|
Country
|
No. of 2005 Visitors
|
Canada
|
14,865,000
|
Mexico
|
12,858,000
|
U.K.
|
4,344,957
|
Japan
|
3,883,906
|
Germany
|
1,415,530
|
France
|
878,648
|
South Korea
|
705,093
|
Australia
|
581,773
|
Italy
|
545,546
|
Brazil
|
485,373
|
2006 Visitors’ Main Purpose of Trip
|
China
|
Taiwan
|
Business/Professional
|
60%
|
37%
|
Visit Friends/Family
|
14%
|
25%
|
Leisure/Recreation
|
13%
|
23%
|
Convention/Conference
|
8%
|
9%
|
In 2006, 59% of visitors from Taiwan went to California. Los Angeles had more visitors from Taiwan than any other city. Some 35% of all visitors from Taiwan came to Los Angeles. This represents a drop from the 45% market share Los Angeles had in 1997.
UPDATE (Dec. 2007): In December, the U.S. and Chinese governments agreed to permit tour companies to secure group visas for Chinese visitors, a change that should greatly increase the number of Chinese coming to the U.S. The agreement was signed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez who said, "“Today’s agreement will open a large and growing market for the U.S. travel and tourism industry.”
Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, U.S. Department of Commerce, “Market Profile: Taiwan,” http://www.tinet.ita.doc.gov/view/f-1997-428-001/index.html, accessed August 5, 2007.
U.S. Department of Commerce, "Gutierrez Signs U.S.-China Tourism Agreement to Boost Visits to U.S.,"
http://shanghai.usembassy-china.org.cn/tourism_agreement.html, accessed Dec. 31, 2007.
Lawrence Gu is an intern at the USC U.S.-China Institute. Among his projects is an ongoing examination of the role of transportation in China's development.
Featured Articles
Happy Lunar New Year from the USC US-China Institute!
Events
Ying Zhu looks at new developments for Chinese and global streaming services.
David Zweig examines China's talent recruitment efforts, particularly towards those scientists and engineers who left China for further study. U.S. universities, labs and companies have long brought in talent from China. Are such people still welcome?