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China's Marriage Registrations Hit Record Low; Financial Struggles Force Chinese Couples To Delay Tying The Knot
A wedding in China, an image for representation
China's policymakers are under immense pressure as the number of marriage registrations plummeted to a historic low in 2022. This has further intensified the concerns over the country's shrinking population and declining birth rate.
According to the latest findings by China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, only 6.83 million couples registered their marriages in 2022. This marks the lowest recorded number since 1985 when the data was first made publicly available, as reported by Nikkei Asia.
While financial difficulties hamper the creation of adequate job opportunities for China's youth, the number of registered marriages has been witnessing a steady decline.
This trend started after reaching its highest point of 13.46 million in 2013. Deliberate postponement of marriage and a rising number of unmarried people contribute to this decrease.
China's declining birth rate and population present serious challenges for its authorities. The country recorded its first population decline in the last six decades last year. The low number of registered marriages is yet another contributing factor to China's pressing demographic concerns.
The Chinese government has implemented measures to address the decreasing number of marriages.
They have extended an interregional pilot programme to 21 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, to simplify wedding registration procedures.
Starting 1 June, couples residing and working in these cities may now get married without having to return to their hometowns.
This initiative may not be sufficient in resolving the underlying concerns of deferred marriages and complications pertaining to starting a family. As a result, it may just serve as a temporary fix.
A survey conducted by the Xinmin Evening Daily newspaper among college students in August of last year indicated that around 77 per cent of participants base their decision on whether or not to have kids on their financial capacity.
Furthermore, current economic data shows a decline in factory and trade activities. At the end of April, it was reported that the unemployment rate among 18-24-year-olds stood at 20.4 per cent.
These factors may add to young couples' uncertainties about starting a family, further delaying marriages or childbirth.
Young Chinese individuals might be expressing their dissatisfaction with the high pressure and competition they face in their daily lives through their decision to not register for marriage.
The "lie flat" trend, a movement calling for individuals to reject materialism and strive for a simpler lifestyle, seems to be emblematic of this attitude. This trend is gaining momentum online, revealing a deeper societal shift in values.
The latest statistics also show that the number of registered divorce cases in 2022 totalled 2.1 million, substantially lower than the peak of 4.7 million divorce cases that were reported in 2019.
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