September 2, 2011, Attorney Zhao Ningning joined People in the Know of China Radio International (CRI) on China’s newJudicial Interpretation of Marriage Law.

China's new marriage law has sparked heated debate among the Chinese public. In the program Attorney Zhao Ningningtalked about the following topics,

1. Is the new stipulation about the property before marriage a big change from China’s previous family laws? If so,what is the consideration behind the change?

2. Women in China are often the caregivers to their children and husbands, a tradition that gives women withless career opportunities. For a housewife, a divorce may make life even more difficult. That is why many argue that the law has not offered enough protection for divorced women. How do you look at it?

3. How do you compare China’s family law with other that of other countries?  

4. What if one of the couple is a foreign national? Which law do they respect if they want a divorce? 

5. Will the new law precipitate Chinese women’s attitudes toward family life, in ways that they go out for work more often and demand an equal share of burden of looking after children and the family?  

6. In countries like Japan and South Korea, due to their higher level of education and mounting career pressures,less women are willing to get married. This has become a source of concern fora lower fertility rate in aging societies. Will the family law exacerbate this trendin China?

Besides Attorney Zhao Ningning, Linda Catherine Heathfield, Partner, Ip & Heathfield, Solicitors in Hong Kongalso joined this program.