Podcast
Babe 'hunt' begins for wealthy bachelors
Updated: 2010-01-29 13:20
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Nearly 100 matchmaking agencies launched a "love hunt" to find pretty girls on the capital's streets for their millionaire customers yesterday, triggering fierce public criticism.
Yang Jing, head of the "love hunt" department at a Beijing branch of a Shanghai-based matchmaking agency website, www.915915.com, was cautious about getting too close to her targets at Guomao subway station during the rush hour yesterday morning.
Wearing a red scarf emblazoned with the company's name and carrying gifts prepared for her targets, Yang said the chances of finding and persuading a beautiful girl to provide contact information was small.
"Our basic requirement is that the girl should be taller than 163 cm, single, well educated and fuelled with specific temperaments," she said.
After two hours of searching among commuters flocking out of the subway, Yang was disappointed that the only two pretty ladies who hit her standards were married.
The total catch of the hunt was less than 60 single girls by the end of the day, Yang said.
However, the number of single millionaires is about 600, and they have already paid for the service, said Fei Yang, director of operations at the branch.
"We have to keep the selection quite narrow to cater to our customers' strict requirements," she said.
She added they planned to move the "hunting" into premium office buildings in the capital.
The basic condition for wealthy bachelors to register at the agency is to have more than two million yuan in their bank account, Fei said.
"I am too busy to find a girlfriend and my life cycle is very limited," said Ma, 43, a millionaire.
Ma said he selected the agency because he could not find a girlfriend through his social network.
"Most of my friends are in business and it is very difficult to start a relationship," he said. He said he could get information on tens of girls everyday from the agency and would make a final decision when the "love hunt" had concluded.
Ma said he believed the agency could help him screen out girls who only wanted his money. However, some experts criticize the campaign.
"It is just a business and will disturb the foundation of our society," said Li Xia, a scholar with Renmin University of China.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.
