Marriages in China down by a fifth in 2024: government

AFP | Beijing

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China last year saw a onefifth decline in marriages, the latest sign of persistent demographic challenges as Beijing works to encourage births despite an uncertain economic outlook for young families.

The country saw 6.1 million couples register for marriage in 2024, down from 7.7 million the previous year, according to data published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The 20.5 percent drop coincided with the third consecutive year of overall population decline in China, which in 2023 was surpassed by India as the world’s most populous nation.

China’s population of 1.4 billion is now rapidly ageing, with nearly a quarter of people aged 60 or above as of the end of last year.

The demographic trends present fresh challenges for authorities in the country, which has long relied on its vast workforce as a driver of economic growth.

The slide in marriages comes despite a pro-family campaign rolled out in recent years by Beijing, which has included various subsidies and messaging encouraging people to have children.

But experts say that higher costs -- especially for education and childcare -- and the challenging employment market awaiting fresh graduates are among factors discouraging would-be parents.

“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,” commented a user of Chinese microblogging site Weibo under a news post about the data.

“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,” the user added.