In China, his pay is hers to spend

Jan 25, 2005 STI interactive

BEIJING - CHINESE women, although not the main bread-winner in most households, have a big say over how the pay cheque is spent in the world's most dynamic economy, a survey has found.

Nine out of 10 Chinese women who are married or living with a partner claimed in the survey that they have at least an equal say over big purchases such as property and cars.

Although 74 per cent of the respondents said they earned less than their partners, 75 per cent disagreed that whoever holds the money holds the power in the relationship.

Half of them subscribed to the philosophy that 'my partner's money is my money, my money is mine'.

These findings were presented by market research company Synovate after polling 314 women aged 15 to 64 in China last month.

It was part of a worldwide study of 4,000 women in nine countries including the United States and Japan on women's attitudes towards financial issues.

'Socially, Chinese women would always claim that their men held final sway over big purchases - it's part of giving 'face' to the man - but it's a different story at home,' said Mr Larry Wu, director of Synovate's China office.

The Chinese respondents answered differently than women in Japan, where marriage often means the end of financial independence. -- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE