Haven for students

"Besides, Hawaii is a very safe place. And I think all this is a very natural fit for students."

Mindu Lham, a Bhutanese undergraduate student at the University of Hawaii, says Hawaii offers a good environment, especially for Asians.

"Also, as it is relatively near to Asia, it is easy for travel. And its weather and beautiful environment are some of the other factors why people choose to study here," says Lham.

Hawaii not only lets international students gain qualifications, but also helps local Hawaiian students gain global exposure.

Dawn Amano-Ige, the first lady of Hawaii and an educator, says international students are important for the development of Hawaiian students.

"When we have students coming from different parts of the world to Hawaii, they learn about native Hawaiian culture and language. And I think that it helps to make for a better world," she says.

"The more we understand cultures, languages and beliefs, the better we can appreciate each other."

For now, although China ranks third in student numbers with 695 Chinese students in Hawaii, according to an official survey, many of the state's schools are still interested in attracting more Chinese students.

Speaking about the issue, Judy Ensing, the program director of International Programs of Outreach College, University of Hawaii, says: "The main challenge for us is that people in China don't really know about the kind of programs we have.

"And I think the hard part is to get the word out to them."