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May Yao, left, used online matchmaking Web site Baihe.com to meet Donny Liang. The two are engaged. 3 f* l& `& g G' c. V: g: r! y " i$ Y- i) N4 ?6 { - h7 R9 R( N* A2 s- ~在上海或北京等大城,平均结婚年龄也年年增长。1980年为23岁,目前则为27岁,另有许多人将预计的结婚年龄订在30岁之前。 : L9 W* j$ t8 U- P ) T4 c9 g4 R& o& J- D0 L$ G除了收费的交友网站外,也有免费提供注册的。拥有繁体中文、简体中文、英文三种版本的“亚洲交友中心”(Asiafriendfinder.com),每位使用者都可透过网站结交海内外朋友,虽然服务免费,但功能丰富,包括个人相片张贴、他人相片检索、会员资料搜寻等。 . |" |% V; x9 A Z7 @ $ Y9 \* W0 e5 A; n5 k! T5 R2 D亚洲交友中心母公司,“交友网路公司”(Friend Finder Network)总裁张麦可(Michael Zhang)表示:“将亚洲交友中心网站免费开放使用,主要是考量许多海内外的单身男女均有认识异性朋友的迫切需求,但却不一定有能力付费使用服务。” " _0 V/ r4 X: m ^1 p- G9 ?4 u& {, m# g
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Internet matchmaking blooms in China% _ U$ m/ ?8 @- A$ G8 F) a1 |
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DRIVEN BY HEARTS AND WALLETS, UPWARDLY MOBILE SEEK PARTNERS& h) c- e: P0 m# c9 ~. k' K
( u& ]% }) y" s7 zBEIJING - When May Yao talks about love, she could be discussing a business plan, not a matter of the heart. She is 25, attractive, successful - a graduate from the prestigious Peking University. She works for a real estate company, owns two apartments - valued at $260,000 each - and drives a BMW. Now, she is looking for success in her romantic life, too: She hired Internet "love counselors" to help her find a husband. "After age 25, you are not as beautiful," she said. "It is like the stock market: You want to sell at the peak." It's girl-wants-to-meet-boy, modern Chinese-style. There is a certain drive to couple up - something akin to the way Chinese young people seek educational and professional perfection. "That's something people in Silicon Valley don't appreciate - how intense people are here," observed venture capitalist Gary Rieschel, who relocated from Silicon Valley to Shanghai and is looking to invest in a dating Web site. Dating sites are among the hottest new slices of China's emerging Internet market. In a nation where young people have traditionally relied on parents, friends and even professional matchmakers to help find a mate, the Internet is emerging as a great leap forward in the search for Mr. and Ms. Right. Dating sites, some backed by valley investors, are blossoming in what could become the greatest matchmaking market known to humankind: China's 130 million - and growing - online users. ( r' R3 n4 y( Q8 |. u# S& q4 [' {5 |! i
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