BEIJING — The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said it would work to upgrade a national information system for marital registration and strengthen information sharing with other authorities to improve the country’s marriage information database.

This is expected to help reduce the chances of bigamous or fraudulent marriages, according to report on China Youth Daily on Feb 1 citing the MCA social affairs department.

The MCA said online registration and an information network were now available at marital registration authorities at and above county level, making procedures more accurate and convenient.

However, with registration procedures for marriage and divorce falling into different jurisdiction, and citizens’ marriage status changing because of spousal deaths, the marriage database needs more unified and timely updates, according to the MCA.

The ministry will strengthen information sharing with judicial, foreign affairs and public security authorities and apply more high-tech means to ensure accurate registration and impose harsher punishments on serious fraudulent misrepresentations in registration.