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涉外婚姻遭遇“七年之痒” Mixed marriages, divorce on the rise [ 2007-03-23 16:04 ] The number of marriages between Chinesepeople and foreigners is on the increase, but so too is the rate at whichthey are getting divorced. According to recent statistics from the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau,the number of intercultural marriages of Shanghai is rising steadily.In 2006, 2,960 marriages involving Chinese nationals and foreignerswere registered in Shanghai, up 22.97 percent on the previous year.However, the number of mixed couples getting divorced in 2006 alsoincreased to 355.The figures showed that marriages had taken place between Chinesepeople and foreigners from 55 nations and regions. Chinese-Japanese andChinese-Canadian pairings were found to be the most likely to end indivorce.Although divorce has traditionally been discouraged in China, itsincidence has risen rapidly since the 1980s. And with more and more mixedmarriages ending in divorce, there is now a growing need for help andadvice for those dealing with life after a failed marriage.A web-based survey conducted by the Weiqing Divorcees Club found thatmany of its members had been in unhappy cross-cultural marriages."Loneliness, cultural differences and adapting to a new lifestyle werequoted as the main reasons for not being happy," the club's head Shu Xinsaid.The club provides a range of services, such as helping with the divorceprocess and advising on the process of getting remarried. On a morepositive note, it also gives lectures on how to make a success ofcross-cultural marriages.The Shanghai-based club claims to have about 1 million online members,most of whom come from major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Almost 10percent of its members are classed as foreigners, which encompassesexpatriates, American-Chinese and those from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.双语资讯 | 
