Guangzhou police release foreign population number, demographics

GUANGZHOU - There are about 80,000 foreign nationals living in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, according to the city's police bureau. As a major trading center, the city has been an important base for foreign nationals living in China. It is known for having a large African community.

The bureau said there are currently 15,000 Africans living in the city. Egypt, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the major sources of African expatriates. Most are engaged in trade or study in the city.

The influx of African nationals began in 2006 following the Beijing Summit of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation, attended by heads of state and senior officials from 48 African countries.