The number of couples getting married in China in the first half of this year hit its lowest level since 2013, official data showed, as more young people choose to delay marriage amid a slowing economy and rising living costs.
The number of marriages in China is closely linked to the birth rate, and the decline may disappoint policymakers trying to boost the population, which has been declining for the past two years.
A total of 3.43 million couples were married in the first six months of this year, down 498,000 from the same period last year, according to marriage registration data.
Marriage is considered a prerequisite for having children due to various incentives and policies in place, such as the requirement for parents to show a marriage certificate when registering a child and accessing state benefits.
Many young Chinese are choosing to stay single or delay marriage due to uncertain job prospects and concerns about the future following slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy.
The number of marriages in China has been declining since 2014. Although it is expected to pick up slightly in 2023 after pandemic restrictions are eased, the number of marriages this year is expected to fall again to its lowest level since 1980, demographer He Yafu said in an interview with the state-backed newspaper, Global Times.
He Yafu explained that the decline in marriage registrations was due to several factors, including a decline in the number of young people, an imbalance in the number of marriageable men and women, high wedding costs, and changes in societal attitudes.
“China's long-term declining birth rate trend will be difficult to fundamentally change unless substantial maternity support policies are implemented in the future to address this challenge,” He said.
To address the issue, China’s Civil Affairs University launched a new undergraduate program in marriage to develop the industry and related culture. However, the move drew derision from social media users who questioned the relevance of such a course given the declining marriage rate. (ah/es)
