China is trying to make both marriages and divorces easier, more private and healthier, says China's Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju.

A network of marriage registration offices is now covering 97 percent of all counties in the country encouraging couples in remote rural areas to make their marriages legal, said Li at a national conference on Sunday (Dec 10).

China currently has 12,397 marriage registries across the country and since 2005 the country has been working to standardize marriage registrations across the country.

Li says some couples don't bother registering their marriages, as registration offices are often a long distance from their home villages.

"Problems still exist as only a few provincial government have set up marriage registry databases, which has hindered the process of issuing marriage certificates," said Li. Many local government have yet to put marriage registration offices in their budgets, he said.

"An efficient process should be worked out to make registration much easier for people," said Li.

The Minister also said since 2003 when new regulations did away with compulsory pre-marital physical check-ups, fewer than 10 percent of couples are now having physical examines before they tie the knot. The number is less than one percent of couples in some places.

Some local governments in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei and Shanghai are offering free pre-marital check-ups.

Some Chinese experts want the compulsory pre-marital check-ups restored to ensure there are fewer problem births.

Li said Chinese people can now marry or divorce much more easily as employers need not necessarily be notified or asked to provide recommendations on the suitability of an employee's marriage plans.

Editor: Wing