More than 5,000 people from Guangdong Province marry residents
from the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions every
year.
The figure from the Guangdong provincial bureau of civil
affairs, which some say is indicative of the growing ties between
the regions, represents more than 40 percent of Hong Kong and Macao
residents marrying those from the mainland.
Of those who tie the knot with Hong Kong and Macao residents, 84
percent are women, said Chen Wanling, the bureau official in charge
of marriage registration.
The trend is expected to continue, with even more Guangdong men
getting Hong Kong wives following a dip in the late 1990s, said
Chen.
"This is because of expanding contacts within the regions," she
said.
Many Guangdong natives expect to get permanent residence rights
in the two special administrative regions by marrying a resident
from there, following simplified emigration procedures introduced
in recent years.
Holders of Hong Kong passports currently do not need visas for
more than 140 countries and regions worldwide.
Some Guangdong residents also want to avoid the mainland's
family-planning policy by legally having their second child in Hong
Kong or Macao, said Chen.
White-collar worker Wang Shanhong said Hong Kong is still a
shopping paradise and offers numerous opportunities for young
people as a modern metropolis.
"I would like to emigrate to Hong Kong via marriage if I meet
the man I love," said the 28-year-old Guangzhou resident.
(China Daily November 15, 2007)