Related: Shooter identified as student from S Korea

    WASHINGTON, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States remains a good environment for foreign students to study despite the occurrence of a shooting tragedy in Virginia Tech, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday.

    "The United States is a popular destination, for good reason, for foreign students," said McCormack. "On the whole, this is a place where I expect foreign students will want to continue to come to study."

    The U.S. government issues more than 200,000 student visas each year, according the spokesman.

    A total of 33 people, including the gunman, were killed in Monday's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

    Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech has more than 25,000 full-time students. The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerhouse football team.

    The spokesman's remarks are seen as an attempt to ease the fear caused by the shooting rampage among foreign students.