Gov. Beverly Perdue wants Chinese business and education leaders to consider steering more students to North Carolina colleges and universities.

Perdue's office said the governor and state Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco participated Tuesday in a forum in Beijing hosted by a Raleigh-based firm working to bring Chinese youth to study in North Carolina.

Perdue and other state officials are visiting China and Japan on a trade mission and will return home early next week.

Perdue said the forum helped the company called New Mind Education and promoted North Carolina schools. She said the students would increase campus diversity and generate out-of-state tuition.

New Mind Education has recruited nearly 30 international students to attend N.C. State University and wants to expand to 500 students and other schools over five years.