Looking for China Girl is a British documentary special (which forms part of The World Uncovered current affairs series) which examines the implications of China's 'one child' policy, which was introduced as a measure to stabilise China's burgeoning population.
The documentary originally aired in the UK on BBC Two on 2 August, 2005. It is 50 minutes long.
Looking for China Girl aired in South Africa on DStv's BBC World channel on Saturday 1 March 2008, at 10h10. It formed part of BBC World's "Inside China" season theme.
Repeats
Saturday 1 March: 16h10, 22h10
Sunday 2 March: 03h10, 10h10, 22h10
Synopsis
Within 15 years, the Chinese government believes as many as 40 million men will be permanent bachelors.
Twenty-five years ago, to stop the country's spiralling birth rate, China's communist government decreed that couples should have just one child.
And influenced by Chinese tradition, couples usually want a son and not a daughter.
According to official figures, about 117 boys are born for every 100 girls.
Many reasons have been given for the fact that more boys are born than girls, including selective abortion or infanticide, under-reporting of female births and adoption.
This World follows 24-year-old Xinhau Lu, who still lives with his parents on a small farm in rural China, on his search for a wife.
"In my current situation, no girl would be interested in marrying me," he says.
So in a anxious mission to find work and attract a bride, Xinhau travels 860 miles to Beijing.
Others, however, are not as scrupulous as Xinhau. Some young women across China are being kidnapped and sold as brides.
We speak to Qing, only 16 years old when she was snatched and forced to live with a desperate bachelor.
And in China's cities there is also a new breed of girl like Shao Ying, who have made successful careers and are enjoying the single life.
These are the personal stories of a modern demographic crisis.
Can China stop itself becoming a bachelor society?