Migrant dads return home suspicious
By Wu Jiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-04 06:00

According to Cui, 80 per cent of the tests they have done since they began in 2001 have shown positive results, proving the suspicious father is the biological father of the baby.

Cui's centre is one of three paternity test institutions certificated by authorities in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province in East China.

Paternity test centres nationwide have also reported similar increases in test requests during festival season.

There are more than 100 officially authorized institutions in the country conducting paternity tests. The accuracy rate is estimated at 99.9 per cent, said Cui.

"It is a sign of an increasingly open society," he said.

However, for Wu Zebin, a researcher at the Sociology Department of Peking University, the increasing number of paternity tests shows that people are facing a trust crisis.

"In such a fast-changing society, people no longer trust each other, even though they are husband and wife," said Wu.

Zhang Yan, a teacher at Nanjing University, said: "A paternity test can't solve the problem. Even if it gives a positive result, the mutual trust between the couple has been damaged."

Cui said his centre often warns the parents of the possible consequences before the test and persuades them not to conduct it.

"If they insist, we will keep their profile confidential," said Cui.

People often chose hospitals in other cities in order not to run into acquaintances when taking the test, he added.

(China Daily 01/04/2006 page1)