Some 848,000 Chinese couples have divorced during the first half of 2010, up nearly 10% year-on-year, according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs recently.

Over the first six months of 2010, an average of 5,000 couples separated each day, while the divorce rate in China has steadily increased over the past seven consecutive years, the statistics show.

Some experts contribute the rising divorce rates to a number of changes made to the marriage law in 2003.

"The process of marriage was simplified with the introduction of a number of new regulations, which to some extent, may have subsequently triggered increased instances of divorces," according to Xu Anqi, an expert in marriage studies with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

Instead of dealing with complicated court procedures, couples can now seek divorces at civil affairs offices. Simplified marriage registration procedures have also aroused people's sense of "merry meet, merry part," according to Xu.

Weaker family values, an increase in extramarital affairs, estrangement and negative birth rates are also factors behind the rising divorce rate, Xu said.

According to Xu, China's divorce rate is still lower than many developed countries.

Han Xiangjing, head of the Women of China magazine, also expressed optimism on the issue.

People should have freedom in the realms of both marriage and divorce, said Han. An increasing divorce rate should not be exclusively attributed to a negative social climate, it, to some extent, is also a symbol of social advancement.

(CRIENGLISH.com October 5, 2010)