MSN China Partners With Marry5.com

PR NEWSWIRE -- May 30 -- China’s MSN added channel partner, Marry5.com. It recently signed agreements with Eastday.com, Hexun.com, Ctrip.com and Yesky.com also to reinforce the MSN Chinese website's brand positioning of "fashionable life, white-collar portal." Marry5.com (founded October 2005, 300k monthly paying members) paid high "rental fees" to become a content provider for MSN. The high-profile promotion initiative has resulted in speculation that Marry5.com's move is an omen of accelerating its proposed IPO in 2008. According to iResearch, China's online social-networking market reached RMB175 million in 2006, up 169% from a year ago. At the same time, it is expected that the market will reach RMB1.2 billion by 2010, with a compound annual growth rate of 85%. The monthly fee of just RMB50 ($7 US) has attracted a great number of singles. Before its cooperation with MSN, Marry5.com had a monthly income of RMB 2.30 million, which now is estimated at more than RMB 5 million. FULL ARTICLE @ PR NEWSWIRE

Mark Brooks: According to Alexa, Love21cn.com is China’s leading internet dating site followed by Marry5.com, ‘serious dating’ site Baihe.com and 96333.com. I did a video interview with the CEO of Baihe.com two weeks ago. I’ll be sending a video interview with the CEO of 96333.com live shortly.