In 2024, China experienced a one-fifth drop in marriages, highlighting ongoing demographic challenges as Beijing attempts to boost birth rates despite an uncertain economic climate for young families.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, 6.1 million couples registered for marriage last year, a significant decline from 7.7 million in 2023, marking a 20.5% drop.
This decline coincides with China’s third consecutive year of population decrease, with India surpassing China as the world’s most populous country in 2023.
China’s population of 1.4 billion is aging rapidly, with nearly a quarter of people aged 60 or older as of the end of last year. This trend poses new challenges for the country, which has traditionally relied on its large workforce to drive economic growth.
The decline in marriages persists despite Beijing’s pro-family campaign, which has included subsidies and initiatives aimed at encouraging childbearing.
However, experts cite factors such as high education and childcare costs, along with a tough job market for new graduates, as major deterrents for potential parents.
One user on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo commented, “If I don’t rely on my parents, I simply can’t afford to buy a house, and getting married is also a huge expense. This year, I suddenly feel that being single is also pretty good. There’s not so much pressure, I earn and spend my own money.”
In the 1980s, China implemented a strict “one-child policy” due to concerns over overpopulation, a policy that was only lifted in 2016. In 2021, couples were allowed to have up to three children, but the demographic shift had already begun.
The decline in marriages in the world’s second-largest economy could exacerbate future pressures on pensions and public health systems.
In response to these demographic concerns, Beijing announced in September that it would gradually raise the statutory retirement age, which, at 60, had been among the lowest globally.
