Forget about the pre-conceived notion that dating sites are 'out'. If trends in popular culture are anything to go by, then turning to the world wide web to meet potential matches has never been as popular and socially accepted as now. Just take a look at Hollywood. This Means War, a 2012 romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine, is just one example of how Hollywood has begun revamping the image of dating sites. In this light-hearted flick, Hardy plays a CIA operative who falls for Witherspoon's character via an online dating site and then competes with his other CIA partner for a slice of the pie – even muscular men who save America from villains for a living turn to dating sites, or so Hollywood suggests! Back here in China, where divorce rates are skyrocketing and younger generations are vying to take dating matters into their own hands (as opposed to their parents), cyberspace is buzzing with virtual pheromones more than ever before.

Bet you ladies would love to find a hunk like Hardy! Photo: tumblr.com

Two birds, one stone

You're not a weapons savvy muscular hunk like Hardy and Pine or a double-dating, blond-haired beauty ala Witherspoon, but a regular expat living thousands of miles away from your natural habitat in China? Not to worry; eChina Dating is here to help out! While China has a spate of hugely popular dating sites, most are in Chinese and focus on connecting Chinese with Chinese. Even some of the sites which claim to connect Chinese and foreigners fall flat on one point: they fail to reach out to Chinese and foreigners equally. eChina Dating is different in this respect: although it's just one site, eChina Dating is hosted on two different platforms to ensure that foreigners as well as Chinese can easily access the site. eChina Dating is accessible via Sina Weibo, the largest microblogging site in China, as well as through our own website, eChinacities.com. In English, the site is designed to connect expats with English-speaking Chinese and vice versa.

Making contact

The beauty of dating sites is that you can leave your inhibitions and shyness locked up and hidden far away. Every single member is yearning for a sign that they have some interested suitors. Making contact on eChina Dating is simple and hassle-free. To break the ice, why not send a smile to whoever you like? Or if you prefer the more direct approach, send a brief message introducing yourself. What have you got to lose?

Free for the taking

Unlike many other dating sites which require you to register before you can even begin browsing, visitors can check out the basic interface without logging in. What's more, registering with eChina Dating is free for all. Non-VIP members can send a limited number of messages and smiles per day for free. Of course, VIP members have the biggest advantage, with the ability to send more than enough messages and smiles to other members each day. Not only that, they get extra profile exposure too, thereby vastly increasing their chances of finding a date. Those reluctant to fork out cash for this service will be happy to know that eChina Points from the Answers section can also be used to redeem VIP membership – not a bad reward for all those questions and answers posted. Similarly, Weibo users can exchange their Weibi currency for VIP status. Of course paypal and local bank payment options are also available for those who like to pay using the real deal.

Who's there

Like purchasing any product, customers want to get bang for their buck. Does eChina Dating live up to that? Absolutely. Over 20,000 users from a diverse range of backgrounds have already signed up and this number is growing by the day. eChina Dating is a simple, user-friendly application which serves one purpose: connecting you to other singles in China so that next time you watch a Hollywood flick, a very special someone will be cuddled up beside you. 

Sign up to eChina Dating today!

Access via eChinacities.com: http://www.echinacities.com/friends/
Acess via Sina Weibo: search for 中外交友in the apps section
 

Related links
Money Honey: The Cost of Dating in China
Conflicting Mindsets: 3 Foreign Contestants on Chinese Dating Show
Boys, Boys, Boys: Dating Chinese Guys
 

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Keywords: eChina Dating dating site China online dating China dating site for Chinese and foreigners