Beijing's divorce rate has increased by more than 40 percent in the first three quarters of this year from the same period last year. Experts said that might be because couples are seeking to avoid a property tax imposed earlier this year.

According to the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau, 39,075 couples divorced in the first nine months of this year, up 41 percent from the same period in 2012.

The figure also surpasses the 38,197 couples who divorced during all of 2012. The growth rate of divorces is much higher than in the previous four years.