China Records Lowest Number of Marriages, Raises Concerns of Demographic Crisis
China witnessed its lowest number of marriages last year since public records became available, continuing a nearly decade-long decline in matrimony. Data released by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs on Friday revealed that 6.83 million couples got married in 2022, down approximately 10.5% from the 7.63 million registrations in 2021. This figure represents a record low since 1986, when the ministry began publishing statistics. The decline in marriages, accompanied by falling birth rates, has prompted concerns among the government regarding a demographic crisis.
The decrease in marriages can be attributed to various factors, including the challenging circumstances faced by the Chinese population in 2022 due to strict Covid-19 controls, city lockdowns, and disruptions to daily life. However, the decline in marriages has been consistent since its peak in 2013, when over 13 million couples tied the knot, nearly double the number in 2022.
The declining marriage rates and plummeting birth rates have caught the attention of Beijing authorities, who are concerned about the potential economic impact of a shrinking workforce and an aging population. In 2022, China’s population shrank for the first time in over 60 years, with a birth rate of only 6.77 births per 1,000 people, the lowest since the establishment of Communist China in 1949. China, now the world’s second most populous country, has fallen behind India in terms of population, according to the United Nations.
Chinese officials perceive a direct correlation between the decline in marriages and the decrease in births, especially considering the social norms and government regulations that make it challenging for unmarried couples to have children. Efforts have been made to reverse this trend, including relaxing the long-standing policy of controlling the number of children married couples can have and implementing measures to incentivize childbirth and marriage. However, these initiatives have not yet yielded significant results, as economic and social challenges continue to pose obstacles.
Changing gender norms and expanding career opportunities for women are also contributing factors to the increasing age at which people choose to marry and influencing attitudes toward the institution of marriage. Younger women, in particular, are becoming disillusioned with marriage due to its perceived role in perpetuating gender inequality.
Experts attribute the latest decline in marriages to factors such as the rising marriage age, a declining number of young people overall in China, and the country’s gender imbalance. Efforts by the Chinese government to address the issue have included mass blind dating events organized by the Communist Youth League, as well as attempts to reduce the “bride price” that can serve as a barrier to marriage in rural areas.
China’s experience with falling birth rates and shrinking populations mirrors challenges faced by other countries, including Japan and South Korea. These nations have implemented measures such as financial incentives, cash vouchers, housing subsidies, and increased childcare support to encourage childbirth, with limited success thus far.
Source: CNN
