Chinese people above 30 years old - especially 30 to 39 - are the most likely age group to say "no" to their marriage.

That's even though many are financially stable and have children to care for, a survey by a Beijing court shows.

According to the survey by the Haidian District People's Court over the past two years, ideas about marriage have changed a lot over the past two decades. Older couples are more apt to separate if their marriages fail to fulfill their expectations of a happy life, while young people have become more cautious about tying the knot.

Among the more than 600 divorce cases surveyed, divorces between 30 to 40 years of age account for 46.5 per cent in 2003, up 9.5 per cent in 1981.

People under 30 tend to stay inside the family circle, with only 6.6 per cent getting divorced in 2003, a big drop from 37 per cent 22 years ago.

"People used to divorce for no reason other than trouble brought about by family chores in the 1980s. Nowadays, incompatible temperaments or discrepancies on certain issues might trigger a family crisis," said court judge Li Mei.

Extra-marital affairs or living in different locations after marriage also contribute to high divorce rates among people 30-40 years of age, who are traditionally regarded as middle-aged in China though it might not be true with the improvements in people's life expectancies.

In another survey by China Daily in Shanghai, only 5 per cent of 1,000 respondents said they could "accept or forgive" the other side's disloyalty.

The Beijing court's survey also reveals that the changes in government socioeconomic policies affect people's attitude toward "remaining a devoted couples to the end of their lives" as some cannot endure poor life results from his or her spouse's being laid off from State-owned enterprises during the country's economic restructuring in recent years.

"Middle-aged people have greatly changed their notions about divorce during the present social restructuring. Although the majority of them have children, they give first priority to seeking a happy life," said Xiao Fei, a judge who is in charge of writing a report based on the survey.

"Once the emotional gap emerging between a couple cannot be bridged, they'll give themselves one more chance to choose. They will never put up with an unhappy marriage like older generations, " Xiao said.

But many are worried about the social implications behind the high divorce rate among middle-aged.

Marital crisis among more and more people of middle age will bring various problems like children's education needs and the division of family assets, such as real estate or cars bought on loans.

The consequences of divorces especially on females are more likely to include psychological issues.

(China Daily February 6, 2004)