China is trying to make both marriages and divorces easier and more private, says Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju.

A network of marriage registration offices now covers 97 percent of all counties in the country, encouraging couples in remote rural areas to legalize their marriages, said Li at a national conference on Sunday.

China currently has 12,397 marriage registries across the country with nationwide efforts to standardize marriage registrations present since 2005.

Li says some couples don't bother registering their marriages at registration offices since these are often too far from their home villages.

"Problems still exist as only a few provincial governments have set up marriage registry databases, which has hindered the process of issuing marriage certificates," said Li. Many local governments have yet to put marriage registration offices in their budgets, he said. "An efficient process should be worked out to make registration much easier for people," said Li.

The minister also added that since 2003, when new regulations removed compulsory pre-marital physical check-ups, fewer than 10 percent of couples are now having physical examines before they tie the knot. The number has even fallen to below one percent of couples in some areas.

Some local governments in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei and Shanghai are offering free pre-marital check-ups. Some experts want the compulsory pre-marital check-ups restored to ensure fewer problem births.

Li said that Chinese people can now marry or divorce with ease since employers no longer need to be notified or provide recommendations on the suitability of an employee's marriage plans.

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2006)