Hawick Lau and Yang Mi [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

8. Hawick Lau and Yang Mi announce divorce

After nearly five years of marriage, Chinese actress Yang Mi and Hong Kong actor Hawick Lau issued a joint statement announcing their divorce on Dec 22.

Rumors of the ex-couple's divorce had surfaced in past years but they always denied the rumors. The divorce was a decision made by both Yang, 32, and Lau, 44, after a discussion "conducted with mutual respect".