Over 500 office workers looking for love showed up to meet the people working in their buildings Sunday in a special speed dating party that was arranged in the southern city of Guangzhou.

The party was initiated by a new online community that includes a number of high-end office buildings. The organizers claim that, as one office building usually hosts several companies, employees often don't get a chance to get to know each other even though they work right next door. The community aims to provide a bridge between them.

A man surnamed Pan is a registered member of the community. An employee of a company at Center Plaza, he spends most of his free time polishing his profile. He says in this way he hopes to be connected with an attractive girl he spotted in his building's elevator the other day.

Other registered members say the community is a practical way for them to find love. As their work has restricted them to stay within their office buildings for most of the day, their buildings have become an ideal place to date.

(CRI September 19, 2006)