RTX15A7I
12 Nov. 2013
Shanghai, China
A woman sits during a matchmaking event for middle-aged singles and seniors, sponsored by Shanghai's government, in Shanghai November 9, 2013. The event, which drew 30,000 participants last year, started catering for those over 45 to satisfy demand from the growing numbers of divorcees, said Xu Tianli, vice chairman of the Shanghai Matchmaking Agency Management Association, an organiser of the event. Divorce rates in China have risen for seven years in a row. In 2012, year-on-year growth in divorces outpaced the increase in marriages for the first time, according to official data. Rising levels of divorce have not escaped the notice of China's government, which is concerned that broken homes will erode social stability. To mend ailing marriages and encourage senior singles to date, China has introduced a wide range of measures. To match story CHINA-MARRIAGE/SENIORS Picture taken November 9, 2013. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (CHINA - Tags: SOCIETY)
