Australian university alumni gather in China's southern city to celebrate anniversary

SYDNEY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Chinese students who studied at Australian universities gathered in Guangzhou this week to celebrate the occasion.

The event led by the City of Sydney celebrated the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Sydney and Guangzhou.

More than 200 Chinese students attended the festivities, marking the inaugural Australian university alumni event in Southern China.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement on Friday that over the past 10 years, New South Wales (NSW) state had attracted one-third of Australia's 500,000 international students, with the majority of them based in Sydney.

"This was the first time Sydney's six leading universities have combined to host their alumni in Guangzhou," Moore said.

"Studying in Sydney is the starting point for a lifelong connection with our city for many of these alumni, who have gone on to help foster our bilateral relationship as well as connections in the business and education sectors and the community."

She noted that many thousands of Chinese graduates who studied at universities in Sydney over the last three decades were now making a significant mark in many professions and industries.

International students account for more than 50,000 enrolments at universities in Sydney, according to the Australian government.