Lucrative link-ups

The average monthly salary of a matchmaker is about 6,000 yuan. China currently has more than 1 million people working as matchmakers in the industry, according to the committee.

"Maybe in the coming years, with the desperate need of professional marriage consultants, universities will generate a specific college course for people who are determined in this career," Lu says.

As much as the major players in the industry have already benefited from the growing market potential, some of them still think there is room to improve.

"Currently, the country does not allow Chinese matchmaking companies to provide services to expatriates," says Lu, adding that she strongly believes this regulation should be changed.

"Love has no boundaries. Since the nation does not ban international marriage, why can't we conduct matchmaking activities (for foreigners)?" she says.

"Big companies like us can make sure of the intentions of the participants. And with us as the agent, there is no reason to worry about such things," she says.

Foreign matchmaking businesses are also limited in providing services to their clients.

David Friesen ran an online dating service in 2009 called Zhongguodate.cn, or Chinese date. But because he didn't have a Chinese business partner and new laws in 2010 meant foreign firms could not own a .cn domain name without a Chinese partner, the website was shut down.

"China's online matchmaking market is huge, but quite different to the way Western matchmaking sites work. The market is developing rapidly, and is only likely to increase. It will not be long before a site gains over 100 million members," he says.

Friesen says most online dating websites in the United States or Britain require monthly or yearly subscriptions from its members. However, in China, the sites are generally very-low cost or even free for members. Revenue is created by members giving virtual gifts or through messaging potential partners.

"However, right now it will be fairly hard for any Western firm to break into this market without significant knowledge of the Chinese market and Chinese partners who are totally onboard with the business plan," Friesen says.