Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

An overseas reporter, attracted by a meeting of eager parents in Beijing who were seeking Mr. or Ms. Right for their grown-up children, fell prey to his interviewees yesterday while working on the story, the Beijing Morning Post reported.
More than 200 parents gathered at the marriage consulting center of the capital's women's federation for the center's second matchmaking event.  Leaving no stone unturned, they cast their eyes on a 36-year-old British reporter who came over to cover the gathering. 
The reporter, whose name was not given in the Beijing Morning Post report, was in-demand because of his single status and fluent spoken Chinese.
A woman handed him a picture of her daughter and several fathers asked the young man to leave his contact information.
A man surnamed Xiao was among these eager parents.  He said he's open-minded about the nationality of his future son-in-law, because society has already opened-up and become diversified.
"Besides, the young man can speak good Chinese, which means communication isn't a problem," he added.
The father said he has kept the reporter's telephone number and regarded him as just one more potential partner for his daughter. 
He also said that he hadn't told his daughter about his visit, for fear of annoying her.
An increasing number of Beijing parents are reported to be attending regular gatherings in public areas to find boyfriends or girlfriends for their grown-up children. 
These young people seem undisposed to find one themselves, let alone start a family of their own, despite their being of marriageable age. 
Long work-hours and limited social circles are usually blamed for the difficulty in finding a beloved to date and dote on.