<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000923184
<NAME> MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL FUNDS

   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> MATTHEWS DRAGON CENTURY CHINA FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        8,753,406
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       8,976,958
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
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<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
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<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          930,092
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          736,238
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        1,121,786
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      100,689
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        922,748
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    740,130
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             11,236
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       2,987,080
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (774,711)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
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<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         7,700,902
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             8.48
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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   2.00