Parents Find Lovers for Their Kids at China Matchmaking Expo

June 5, 2014— -- In Shanghai, where singles are aplenty and birth rates are low, parents have taken to matchmaking expos to find their kids a lover.

Their children’s photos and vital stats are plastered on cards pinned to a wall, a sea of faces for eager parents to scan. New this year, the expo added a room dedicated to parents worried about their kids' single status, according to a government website about the event.

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They can even go on mini-dates with other parents to see how their kids will vibe. Some parents hand out cards bearing their children’s contact information.

In the main part of the expo, singles themselves are encouraged to mingle, shyly talking at group tables or one-on-one, speed dating-style.

Matchmaking expos are common in China, where women in their mid 20s are sometimes described as “leftovers” when it comes to marriage.

Chinese parents are so eager to find a partner for their kids that the search often starts young -- sometimes, when they're still using a pacifier, like at one baby matchmaking event.

Almost 30,000 people attended last month’s expo, according to Shanghai Daily.