New marriages in China set to hit record low 2024
China is fast approaching its lowest marriage rate on record, a new sign of a deepening demographic crisis even as the government has stepped up a campaign to spur marriage and childbirth.
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Officially, 4.74 million couples registered marriages in the first three quarters of 2024, down 16.6 percent from 5.69 million during the same period last year, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.
Marriage Decline in China
The marriage decline is within a steady decline since 2013, when new marriages peaked at over 13 million.
Experts expect the number for 2024 to fall below the record low of 6.83 million in 2022, even though there was a brief marriage rebound last year after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, primarily driven by pent-up demand.
World`s Most Populous Country: New marriages in China set to hit record low 2024
China has become the world’s most populous country after surpassing India, and a record-low birth rate in 2023 brings great concerns to Beijing, as it is concerned with the economic impact of an aging society and a dwindling workforce.
According to Chinese officials, the falling birth rate is caused by a decrease in the number of marriages, since cultural norms and regulations are a barrier to the conception of children by unmarried couples.
As a response, the government has initiated many policies like monetary rewards, blind dates, group marriages, and campaigns to reduce the old “bride price,” which may render marriage impossible for poor men in rural settings.
Family Planning Association: New marriages in China set to hit record low 2024
The Family Planning Association ran pilot programs in cities in 2022 to promote a “new-generation culture of marriage and childbearing,” which would add to the social value of childbearing and encourage marriage at an “appropriate age.”.
All of the above factors, however have been partially effective, leading a majority of the country to be concerned. Escalating cost of living in conjunction with unemployment along with meager social benefits is creating difficulties in maintaining conjugal relations among them facing economic turmoil.
Four-decade long China one child policy which later broadened into a two child policy, and the current scenario became three children in 2021 also helped lessen these youths as eligible partners to marriages.
Other factors include changing attitudes, especially among young, educated women who are becoming more financially independent.
Others are disillusioned with marriage, with the expectations from society of childcare and housework, and also to face workplace discrimination.
Since 2021, China has mandated a 30-day “cooling-off” period before divorces can be completed, fearing that this may be too difficult a threshold for an unhappy or even an abusive marriage.
Divorce registrations in 2024 fell a mere 1% compared to the same nine months of 2023. A total of 1.96 million divorcing couples registered for divorces in 2024.
China is not alone in witnessing declining marriage and birth rates. Japan and South Korea have also introduced financial incentives, housing subsidies, and childcare support in recent years without much success.
New marriages in China set to hit record low 2024
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