Last year, I already foretold that this will happen.... didn't know
it would be so much faster..!
As such, I say PRCs will eventually find coming to SG to work not
worthwhile...
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China couples wed earlier to beat rising costs
September 12, 2007
CHINA'S economy is booming. And so are costs.
And this has forced young unmarried couples to change their wedding
plans.
The rising consumer price index (CPI) growth is forcing some of
them to bring forward their wedding dates,the Shanghai Youth Daily
said in a recent report.
MsLiang and her fiance had planned to get married next year, but
they decided to tie the knot this November.
HIGHER WEDDING COSTS
She told the China Daily that she is concerned that the cost of
hosting the wedding will be much higher than what they are now.
With the rise in CPI, the cost of food is sure to go up.
Another indication of couples changing their plans come from
wedding planners. They say that they have received more orders in
the second half of this year, compared to the first half, according
to the report.
'Couples who brought forward their wedding dates might be feeling
the coming economic pressure,' said MrWang Huiqun, director of
Chuanqi Wedding Culture Communication Centre in Shanghai.
Mr Cao Zhonghua, president of the Shanghai Wedding Association,
said that some hotels which provide wedding dinners, accept
reservations from their clients.
But they did not inform them of the prices when receiving deposits
from them, which may bring the possibility of price hikes.
HOUSING PRICES INCREASE
Since the end of this April, some housing prices in Shanghai went
up 20 per cent.
Housing prices in Shanghai average 11,000 yuan ($2,230) per square
metre.
Figures from the National Development and Reform Commission said
that prices of fresh vegetables and cooking oil continued to rise
nationwide this August, in 36 big and medium-sized cities.
The CPI - a key gauge of inflation - hit a 10-year monthly growth
high of 5.6 per cent in July.
It rose by an average of 3.5 per cent in the first seven months of
the year.
Of which 2.9 percentage points were contributed by rising food
prices.