The number of outbound travelers from the Chinese mainland reached 34.52 million in 2006, up 11.27 percent over the previous year, China's Ministry of Public Security said on Monday.

 

The ministry said the top 10 destination countries and regions for mainland travelers were Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.

 

Meanwhile, China saw more than 22.21 million inbound travelers from other countries in 2006, up 9.65 percent year-on-year, according to figures from the ministry's Bureau of Exit-Entry Administration.

 

"More than 11.33 million were tourists, accounting for 51.02 percent of the total foreign travelers to the Chinese mainland," the ministry said.

 

The top 10 source countries for travelers to the mainland were the Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia, the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Mongolia, Thailand, Britain and Australia.

 

The ministry said it apprehended 5,937 people who attempted to leave the country illegally in 2006.  

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)