BEIJING, July 31 -- A survey by Nanjing University shows that first impression decides the suitability of a future partner for most Chinese.

The survey results, released last week to mark the Chinese Valentine's Day which falls on today, takes into account the opinions of 3,039 people in 10 major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Xi'an.

The survey, the first of its kind in the country, has found that 66.57 percent of Chinese rely on their first impression when considering whether someone is suitable enough to be their future wives or husbands.

However, when asked what constitutes such an impression, about 48 percent women said "money and status" and 26 percent men said "beauty."

More than 36 percent of the interviewees said their future partner should be rich and it rates the top criterion in seeking their Mr. or Miss Right.

Among men only 23 percent of the interviewed said they are looking for a well-paid wife. And appearance is not the major criterion when looking for a future husband. Only 10 percent of female interviewees said they hoped to find a handsome guy.

Rather than the kind of fairytale marriage seen in Hollywood blockbusters, 66.32 percent interviewees chose responsibility and the ability to look after family as the second most important criterion for an ideal partner.

The survey also found that most Chinese people met their partner through friends and families or at workplaces or in school. Only 5.7 percent of the interviewees have had an affair or marriage with a netizen.

"We also interviewed couples and asked them to rate on their marriage," said Zhou Xiaohong, director of the sociology department in Nanjing University, also the spokesman for the survey.

"The average score reaches 8.163 out of 10, showing most interviewees were satisfied with their marriage."

However, some of the audience members at the press conference disagree with the high scores as there were more than 1.6 million divorces last year.

The survey also shows that half of the interviewees are opposed to one-night stands, homosexuality and premarital sex.

"But we also find that those well-educated, well-paid and high in status are open-minded to such phenomena, while their counterparts are conservative."

Nearly 70 percent interviewees oppose extra-marital affairs.

What happens in other countries?

Phillip Player (an Australian restaurant owner in Shenzhen)

"Most Australians will fry to find someone that can give them real love, understanding and a romantic life. Be romantic is always important."

Stefano Pipino (an Italian businessman based in Shenzhen and Guangzhou)

"Of course men will look for a beautiful girl and women are waiting for a rich one. However, the most important thing is true love, although you can't live without money in a material world."

(Source: Shenzhen Daily)