Marriage registrations in China have hit a record low in the first nine months of 2024. Data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs reports that 4.747 million couples registered for marriage from January to September, reflecting a year-on-year decrease of 943,000 compared to the same period in 2023.
This decline is alarming for a country already grappling with a shrinking population and highlights economic struggles such as job market uncertainties and a high cost of living, which are causing many young people to delay marriage or remain single.
Efforts to counteract these trends have included policy measures aimed at encouraging such as simplifying marriage registration processes and tightening rules for divorces.
However, these initiatives have yet to overcome the widespread hesitancy among young Chinese, who face bleak economic prospects. The government has also promoted traditional family roles, with President Xi Jinping advocating for a cultural shift to foster marriage and child-rearing as priorities.
Marriage registrations in China
China, which has been releasing a slew of measures to bolster its sagging population levels, recorded a drop in marriage registrations for the first nine months of 2024, according to official data from Ministry of Civil Affairs.
For the first three quarters of the year, 4.747 million couples were registered nationwide, the data showed. That is a year-on-year decrease of 943,000, a Reuters calculation of the data showed.The government released the latest data on Friday.
In 2023, 5.690 million marriage registrations were recorded for the first nine months, an increase from 2022.
Growing economic uncertainty and rising living costs across the country have forced many young couples to delay marriage, a troubling sign for lawmakers who have been pushing policies to boost a shrinking population.
China recently revised a draft law that makes it simpler for couples to register marriages, while filing for divorce will become tougher.
For the first three quarters of 2024, 1.967 million divorces were registered, a slight drop of 6,000 year-over-year, according to the data.
Marriage registrations in China have experienced a significant decline during the first nine months of 2024. According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, only 4.747 million couples registered their marriages from January to September, marking a drop of 943,000 from the same period in 2023. This steep decline underscores the growing reluctance among young Chinese to tie the knot, reflecting broader socio-economic challenges.
Key factors contributing to this downward trend include economic uncertainty, high living costs, and evolving attitudes toward marriage and family life. Many young people are delaying marriage due to financial pressures, such as the rising cost of housing and concerns over job stability. As a result, fewer couples are willing to make long-term commitments during an era of economic unpredictability
Earlier this year, China reported its second annual drop in nationwide births, pushing the government to enact projects and initiatives in major cities to spur young Chinese to create a “new-era” marriage and childbearing culture to foster a friendly child bearing environment.
Getting married and having children has been a heated subject among young Chinese and spawned major discussions and trending threads on social media.
Many young Chinese are opting to stay single or delay getting married due to poor job prospects and worries about the future as growth in the world’s second-largest economy slows.
Chinese President Xi Jinping even weighed in, saying women have a critical role and must establish a “new trend of family.
Source: SABC
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