Online dating has increased the number of cross-cultural marriages. Photo: IC

A week after Milo, 35, an American who works in the financial industry, and Li Tian, 31, who works at a television station in Beijing, met through the dating site eHarmony last June, Milo knew that this was a woman he wanted to be with, and possibly marry one day.

"We both believe in Christianity," Milo said. "We share the same family values. We both believe in respecting and making sacrifices for each other."

Cross-border marriages have been increasing in recent years. According to the statistics released by Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau in 2014, an average 1,200 cross-cultural couples register every year in Beijing, while in the 1990s, the number was around 700 to 800. The figure only includes marriages that occur in China, and does not account for Chinese citizens who marry foreigners overseas.

The Internet has boosted the rise of cross-cultural marriages. A search for cross-cultural dating websites with Baidu, China's largest search engine, yields dozens of results. One of them is xxingclub.com, which claims that they have helped 1,200 mixed couples find their romantic destiny since 1991.

However, while there are happily-ever-after stories, there are also those who have been scammed or heartbroken. According to Shenzhen Evening News' report this month, a 60-year-old man named Jake from Canada had been communicating romantically with a 44-year-old Chinese women from Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, for 11 months, but when he flew to the city to meet her, she couldn't not be reached, and now the man is wearing a sandwich board with information about his Internet romance and wandering along the streets trying to find her. The report suggests that he has been scammed since the website charges for every e-mail or phone call they exchanged.

Peng Xinhui, a lawyer from Beijing's Yingke Law Firm, said that the number of fraud cases and disputes regarding international online dating is increasing in recent years. Peng recommend online daters don't provide their personal information before they meet in person, and the place for the first meeting should be at chain coffee shops and restaurants where the price is set, in order to avoid being scammed for overpriced food. He warned prospective spouses to be careful when dates ask for money or want to go shopping at the beginning of the relationship.

"They could also entrust a local lawyer [in the country one's date is located] to do background checks about their online dates," Peng said.

However, Milo said that he had never worried about being scammed in online dating. In fact, he believes that online dating is even more trustworthy than offline dating. "In online dating, people are forced to talk over e-mail, the phone and Skype to know about each other. It's especially a good thing for girls, since the screen could prevent the guy from touching or kissing you," Milo said.

"Besides, when you Skype, you can see your dates' house, and their family members. There is a little chance this is a fake," Milo said. "But if your dates constantly refuses video chat, then that's probably a scam," he continued. "And if he or she cannot chat with you for an hour at a time, he or she is not ready for a serious relationship."

For those online daters who wish to decide if one person is a suitable choice in a short amount of time, "I think they should talk about the most controversial topics at first," Milo said, "such as religious beliefs, their views on politics, family, children, career and money." Topics should include buying a house, a car, and having children, according to Milo.

"In cross-cultural relationships, there are bound to be some cultural clashes," Milo said. "You need to make sure you both could sacrifice some habits for each other."

"Before the first meeting, they need to be clear about sex, since most foreign men are more open and some Asian women are very conservative," he said.

Milo moved to Beijing this January to be with Li. "Cross-cultural and online or not, as long as we communicate, show affection to each other and not be selfish, it will be fine," Milo said.