Universities step up efforts to attract overseas students

Chinese universities are going flat out in their efforts to attract international students.

From a modest total in the early 2000s, the country's international enrollments reached 489,200 by 2017. This saw China become the third-largest destination for foreign students, and left it well on track to reach a national target of 500,000 by 2020.

The country's universities have figured more prominently in international ranking tables in recent years, and are making significant progress in efforts to increase their global influence.