More marriages are occurring between Chinese people and foreigners, but the divorce rate is on the rise as well. In 2006, 2,960 cross-cultural marriages were registered in Shanghai, up 22.97 percent from 2005.
Figures showed that Chinese people married individuals from 55 different countries, with Chinese-Japanese and Chinese-Canadian pairings the most likely to end in divorce.
Divorce has traditionally been discouraged in China, but it has been on the rise since the 1980s. According to a survey conducted by the Weiqing Divorcees Club, many cross-cultural marriages ended because people were lonely and had trouble with cultural differences. Annemieke Esmeijer, a psychologist with the club, suggested that couples from different cultures discuss cultural differences, such as attitudes toward family, religion and values, money, raising children, and what sort of food they will eat.
