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China to Post Marriage Records to Snag Cheaters

Databases should be up nationwide in 5 years

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 5, 2011 2:51 PM CST

(Newser) – One byproduct of the rising standard of living in China has been an explosion of infidelity—more than a few businessmen have secret mistresses and even second wives. To clamp down on the trend, the government plans to post marriage records online so people can check on suspected cheaters. Databases should be up in Beijing this year and across the country by 2015, the AP reports.

Chinese citizens can move between provinces and cities with greater ease than ever before, meaning an ever-growing pool of potential romantic connections in what one academic calls the "strangers' society." According to one study, 20% of urban men and 3.9% of women admitted having an affair in the past 12 months.

Newly married couples kiss during a mass wedding in this file photo.
Newly married couples kiss during a mass wedding in this file photo.   (AP Photo/Wally Santana)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Daniela23
Jan 5, 2011 8:54 PM CST
Only businessmen can afford all these extra women. Hmmm, who are the rest of the Chinese men cheating with? Other men? There's a serious gender imbalance problem in China. In a matter of years (2020), 24 million Chinese men will find themselves without spouses. Then again, the gay scene in China has been growing larger...
kinm1111
Jan 5, 2011 3:30 PM CST
that won't help, you can't govern people into fidelity, on the other hand, us western countries do the same always, with a fee, but still have higher rate in divorce, not much difference
reasonator
Jan 5, 2011 3:25 PM CST
Because socialist/communist governments believe they have to be involved in all aspects of the lives of people, and that marriage and other human conventions should be regulated by government.
 

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