The number of new marriages recorded in China is set to reach a record low this year, according to official data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The decline in marriages, along with a decrease in births, presents a significant challenge for Beijing as it grapples with a shrinking workforce and an aging population, which could impact the country's economy.
In the first three quarters of 2024, 4.74 million Chinese couples registered their marriages, marking a 16.6% decrease from the same period in the previous year. This downward trend aligns with predictions by Chinese demographic experts that marriages in 2024 will fall below the record low of 6.83 million set in 2022.
Despite a temporary increase in marriages last year following the easing of Covid restrictions, China's population has been declining for two consecutive years, with the birth rate hitting its lowest level since 1949. Chinese officials attribute the decline in marriages and births to social norms and government regulations that make it challenging for unmarried couples to have children.
To address this issue, Chinese authorities have implemented various measures, including financial incentives, propaganda campaigns, blind dating events, and efforts to reduce traditional bride price payments. The Family Planning Association has also launched programs to promote the social value of childbearing and encourage young people to marry and have children at an appropriate age.
However, these initiatives have not been successful in reversing the trend, as many young adults in China are facing high unemployment, rising living costs, and limited social welfare support. Changing attitudes towards marriage, particularly among educated and financially independent women, also contribute to the decline in marriages and births.
China's policies to limit population growth in the past have resulted in fewer young people of marriageable age, further exacerbating the situation. Despite the relaxation of the one-child policy in 2015 and the subsequent increase to a three-child policy in 2021, marriage and birth rates continue to decline.
Other countries, such as Japan and South Korea, are also grappling with declining marriage and birth rates and have introduced measures like financial incentives, housing subsidies, and childcare support to encourage births, with limited success.
