Over 60 percent of foreigners living in Beijing are fond of the city, with a pleasant atmosphere, ample job opportunities and friendly residents being the main attractions, according to a survey released on Thursday.

The survey was conducted by the China Communist Youth League Beijing Committee in 2014, covering 900 foreign nationals aged between 18 and 35 who have lived in Beijing for over six months, the China Youth Daily reported on Thursday.

The respondents hail from 86 countries and regions, with 18.6 percent being South Koreans, 12 percent Americans, 6.4 percent Japanese, and some 6 percent Canadians. Those four countries constitute the biggest sources of foreign citizens in China.

The survey showed that 61.7 percent of the foreigners like or are very keen on Beijing. Some 34 percent, 21 percent and 20 percent of them care for the metropolis due to the pleasant cultural atmosphere, ample job opportunities and friendly residents, respectively.

It also showed that less than 33 percent of the foreign citizens polled have been in Beijing less than a year, 10 percent for eight years or more, and another 20 percent has stayed for nine years or more. Beijing now has some 90,000 foreign residents.

Nearly 79 percent of the people surveyed said they have been able to integrate themselves into life in Beijing with an average level of proficiency in Chinese, while 61 percent said they get along with their Chinese neighbors and classmates. "But I'm still dissatisfied with the air pollution and bureaucracy," an anonymous British man, who has lived in Beijing for two years, told the Global Times.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing found some 48 percent of the 365 foreign companies it surveyed doing business in China's northern cities and pointed out that concerns over air quality were turning senior executives away, Reuters reported in March 2014.

A majority of those surveyed by the Communist Youth League expressed their confidence in China's development, speaking highly of its new diplomatic policies, anti-corruption drive and environmental governance.

The survey also found that many foreigners come to China to familiarize themselves with Chinese culture. About 80 percent evinced an intense interest in the culture, including food, folk customs and festivals.

However, what stimulated their interest varies between countries.

Young people from the Europe and the US say they think Chinese culture is something fresh and new.

In contrast, people from other Asian countries influenced by Confucianism, such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore, came to China because of shared values and culture. Many South Koreans came to China to learn traditional Chinese medicine, while a few Japanese study ancient Chinese and philosophy.

The survey also showed that about 70 percent of the respondents first learned about China via the Internet, television and magazines, instead of through direct communication with Chinese people. However, 87 percent said they want to make more Chinese friends.