A senior law maker said that the National People's Congress, China's legislature, has decided to put amending the Marriage Law on its legislative agenda this year.

The decision to amend the law comes at a time when the Chinese society is increasingly troubled by such social problems as proliferating concubinage and worsening family violence.

"During the past 20 years, big changes have taken place in the economic and social picture, and people's way of thinking. Some people, after they have become rich or acquired positions of power and, under the influence of feudal thinking, start having concubines. Family violence such as wife beating is also rising as a result of resurgent male chauvinism," said Hu Kangsheng, a deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

All these new social problems necessitate an amendment to Marriage Law that would facilitate the formation of a more civilized marriage and family system in the nation, Hu said.

The existing Marriage Law was enacted in 1980, which provides for free marriage, monogamy, and an equal status between husband and wife. Bigamy, family violence and the abandoning family members are banned by Marriage Law.

Qiao also urged better study into and greater effort at eliminating family violence.