A survey showed the number of Chinese people who have had extra-marital affairs has doubled over the past decade.

It is reported that the percentage of married women who have affairs has grown from 9% in 2000 to 21.5% in 2010, reports the Guangzhou-based 21st Century Business Herald.

Although the report failed to provide the figure for married men or the total number of participants and their details, it said only that 16% of men gave money on a regular or sporadic basis to the women with whom they have affairs.

Those who engaged in affairs had better sex with their husband or wife than those who did not, according to the survey, with one survey participant stating that he had used the experience gained in his affairs to improve his family life.

Around 45% of survey participants said they made sure that their affairs did not affect their family life, while one fifth of them said even though their affairs have affected their marriages, they have no intention of divorcing their spouse, nor did they care about their spouse's or other people's opinions about their affairs.

A male participant in the survey said he had engaged in sexual relations with several people he met on the internet. These people entered into relationships with him knowing that he was married and agreed to keep it quiet. He also said he would not be upset if his wife had affairs.

Pan Suiming, a professor of Renmin University's School of Sociology and Population Studies, said these people prefer to maintain their marriages rather than getting a divorce because of the issues divorce entails, including dividing assets, dealing with emotionally traumatic issues such as dealing with the spouse's family and fighting for custody of children. They also worry that it won't be possible to find another partner after divorce, given the stigma attached to divorce in China.

The professor said the numbers of people who hold sexually liberal attitudes in China has almost matched those who hold traditional conservative views on sex and marriage.