Ten thousand Chinese visited Australia during past 12 months.

More than 100,000 visitor visas were granted by Australian immigration offices in China in the 12 months to June this year, indicating an increase of more than 35 percent, and China has become the largest source of overseas students and visitors in the country, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported Wednesday.

AAP quoted Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock as saying that Australia's Approved Destination Status (ADS) created much of the tourism boom.

"It is a measure of the success of the ADS scheme that it is enabling dynamic growth in tourism from China while maintaining an emphasis on immigration integrity," he said.

It is the first official figure about Chinese visitor to Australia.

(Eastday.com.cn 07/18/2001)