Veteran Singapore singer Chin Whai has married an artist from China's Qingdao city who is 40 years his junior, Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

He and Ms Li Yujie, 38, registered their marriage in Singapore before he turned 78 years old last month, she told the paper by phone.

Ms Li, who runs an art gallery here, said although they met at an exhibition in Singapore eight years ago, they started dating only more than a year ago after discovering their mutual interest in art.

She was a permanent resident 10 years ago when she was here to study management, she said.

She had also learnt singing from Chin Whai, according to a spokesman for a charity concert where they performed two weeks ago, said Wanbao.

Chin Whai confirmed the marriage and said he wanted to keep things low-key.

His first marriage, to 1960s Shaw Brothers' sex bomb Yu Chien, ended in divorce. He and Yu Chien, who died in 2000, have two sons. It is also the second marriage for Ms Li.