China divorce rate rises by 20%

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The divorce rate in China has increased by almost 20% over the past year, with 1.4m couples filing for separation during 2007, government officials say. Some experts put the rise down to a change in the law which has made divorces easier to obtain. Others say China's one-child policy has produced a generation of adults focused on their own needs and unable to sustain a relationship. The rising divorce rate is part of a long-term trend. Since China began its market reforms in the late 1970s, the number of people getting a divorce has quadrupled. This has been exacerbated by a change in the law in 2003 allowing couples to divorce in a day, analysts say. Previously, couples needed permission from either their employers or community committees to divorce. The increase in break-ups did not mean that Chinese were losing faith in marriage, "People's expectations are higher. The things couples compromised on 10 years ago aren't tolerated today.