Marriage rate in China drops 20 percent
Last Updated on February 11, 2025 6:04 am
Marriages in China fell by 20 percent in 2024, the biggest decline in the country’s history. Despite various incentives from the authorities for young people to marry and have children, there is no benefit. This information was revealed in a government survey.
An AFP report on Monday also revealed that more than 6.1 million marriages took place last year, i.e. in 2024. However, the number was 7.68 million the year before. AFP.
The high cost of childcare and education in China is blamed for the decline in interest in marriage and starting a family. In addition, the country’s economic growth in the past few years has made it difficult for university graduates to find jobs. On the other hand, there are various kinds of uncertainties among those who are working.
According to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, Yi Fujian, a demographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, called this event unprecedented, saying that even in 2020, i.e. during the Corona pandemic, marriages fell by 12.2 percent.
He added that the number of marriages recorded in 2024 was less than half the 13.47 million in 2013. If this trend continues, the Chinese government’s political and economic ambitions will be undermined by demographic weakness.
China is the world’s second most populous country, with 1.4 billion people. But the country’s population is rapidly aging. China’s one-child policy from 1880 to 2015 and rapid urbanization have led to a decline in birth rates for decades. In the coming decade, about 300 million people will retire in the country, which is equal to the entire population of the United States. Authorities have already taken a number of steps to address the problem.
This includes calling on Chinese colleges and universities to teach love to emphasize positive attitudes toward marriage, love, childbirth and family. In November, China’s State Council, or cabinet, asked local governments to direct relevant institutions to address the population crisis.