A majority of young Chinese women polled in a survey said they like dating older men.

Nearly 70 percent of female respondents aged between 18 and 25 said they like to have a boyfriend about 10 years older than them, because older men are considered more thoughtful, attractive and economically better off.

If in such a relationship, their biggest worries include parental objections, finding the older man is already married, or not being able to control the man.

A center under the National Population and Family Planning Commission conducted the poll in cooperation with a major matchmaking website company in China. About 100,000 people participated and the results were released on Monday.

The number of divorces in China is increasing at a higher rate than marriages. The divorce rate has been estimated to reach 2.29 percent in 2012, with 3.09 million couples splitting up, the poll said.

The poll also found a severe gender imbalance among single Chinese of marriageable age. The highest sex ratio imbalance is in Yunnan province, at 122 males to 100 females.

In Guangdong province, the ratio is 112 males to 100 females. It means there are 1.65 million more men than women of marriageable age in the province, according to the poll.