Chinese men in virtual bigamy row

Chinese authorities are wondering what to do about a spate of web-based virtual 'marriages'.

Although the nuptials have no basis in law and are essentially fantasy, recent reports in Chinese newspapers have indicated that they are causing real marriages to founder.

One woman from South China divorced her real husband on the ground of his virtual polygamy, and a childless woman hit the headlines because her husband's internet 'wife' had a virtual 'baby'.

Some men are thought to have seven or eight 'wives' on the internet. In other situations men have bequeathed property to their internet spouses at the expense of their real life families.

A number of newspaper articles have called on the government to act, claiming that the situation has got out of hand.

"While reports of westerners having internet affairs is not new, it is part of Chinese culture that marriage seems to be a part of the fantasy," thundered one editorial.

It is uncertain how many Chinese women have bigamous internet marriages as the editorials only complain about men.