China: Australia's biggest migrant source

CANBERRA, Australia, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- China has surpassed New Zealand and Britain as Australia's biggest source of migrants, statistics indicate.

Official figures showed that a record 6,350 immigrants arrived in Australia from mainland China in the four months ending in October, finishing for the first time ahead of Britain, which sent 5,800 settlers in the quarter, as well as New Zealand's 4,740, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Monday.

But, the Australian newspaper said, China's new position is due more to a collapse in immigration from Britain and New Zealand than a surge in its own numbers. British migrants were reportedly down 28 percent in the quarter compared with year-earlier numbers while New Zealand was down 47 percent.

Adelaide University demographer Graeme Hugo said the reason may be that the economic crises hitting the Britain and New Zealand haven't affected China as much, the Morning Herald reported.