Authorities in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, denied reports that the local civil affairs bureau limited the number of divorce cases, said an article in Guangming Daily (excerpts below).

When the new real estate regulation that levies 20-percent individual income tax on home sales was issued to cool the property market in March, cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin saw the number of people applying for a divorce double.

The economic choice of a divorce in such circumstances is plain to see. Couples worked out that they would be better off apart than together, at least financially.

Legislation and regulations must recognize that many people place their financial interests first.

Policies must take this into account so that couples do not have to make a choice between financial and emotional well-being.