Dating cruise for rich Chinese sets sail

Educated, overworked and looking for love, members of China's new rich gathered yesterday for what was touted as the country's first dating cruise - open only to men worth at least 2 million yuan (Dh935,189).

The cruise, organised by a matchmaking website, illustrates a growing phenomena: Well-educated and increasingly affluent young Chinese are having a hard time finding partners,

Xu Tianli, CEO of website www.915915.com.cn said he staged the event - tickets for which cost 28,800 yuan (Dh13,467) - as a public service for his site's members.

"We're the country with the world's biggest population, so marriage is a serious concern, especially for wealthy men who don't have time to meet anyone," Xu said.

Female participants had to be college educated and undergo a rigorous screening process. Xu said participants had been narrowed down from a list of 408 applicants, 119 of them men.

The couples planned to pass the evening cruising the Huangpu River aboard the Captain One, a faux square rigger bedecked with pink balloons and fairy lights hanging from its mast.

But with heavy rain falling, it wasn't clear how many of the expected 50 attendees would show up.

Organisers refused to permit photographs or even interviews with participants, although one man who signed up said he considered the idea behind the cruise "extremely natural".

"This really is the most natural way to meet someone because everyone is here for the same reason. Out in the world, you can't just walk up to someone and ask if they're single," said the man, a manager in his late 30s who declined to give his name.

With young Chinese - rich or not - spending more time on work and education and less on romance, demand is soaring for dating services and other non-traditional matchmaking techniques.

Xu said his site's revenues rose 35 per cent this year, although he gave no figures. He said his members are 35 per cent men, 65 per cent women.