The number of marriage registrations in China will decrease in the first 9 months of 2024, China News

BEIJING – China, which has taken many measures to support its dwindling population, recorded a decline in marriage registrations in the first nine months of 2024, according to official data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

According to the data, 4.747 million couples were registered across the country in the first three quarters of the year. That’s a year-on-year decline of 943,000, according to Reuters.

The government published the latest data on Friday (November 1).

In 2023, there were 5.690 million marriage registrations in the first nine months, an increase from 2022.

Growing economic instability and rising costs of living across the country have forced many young couples to delay marriage, a troubling sign for lawmakers who are pushing policies aimed at spurring population decline.

China recently revised a bill that will make it easier for couples to register their marriage and make filing for divorce more difficult.

According to the data, 1.967 million divorces were registered in the first three quarters of 2024, which is 6,000 fewer than last year.

Earlier this year, China reported a second annual decline in the birth rate nationwide, prompting the government to introduce projects and initiatives in major cities to encourage young Chinese to create a “new era” of marriage and childbearing culture to create a childbearing-friendly environment.

Getting married and having children has been a hot topic among young Chinese and has generated serious discussions and trending topics on social media.

Many young Chinese are choosing to remain single or delay marriage 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 that women play a crucial role and should create a “new trend in the family.”

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