China's Looming Demographic Crisis: Record Low Marriages Predicted in 2024

China's marriage registrations are projected to hit a record low in 2024, exacerbating the country's demographic crisis. The drop in marriage numbers aligns with decreasing birth rates and an aging population. Experts attribute this to various factors, including a shrinking young population, gender imbalance, and high marriage costs.

China is bracing for a demographic upheaval as marriage registrations in 2024 are set to hit a historic low since 1980, a demographic expert has warned. The geopolitical dynamics are set to shift further as the nation recorded a 4.98 lakh drop in marriage registrations in the first half of this year.

This trend alarmingly dovetails with declining birth rates and an increasingly aging population. The Ministry of Civil Affairs' latest data reveals that only 34.3 lakh couples tied the knot in the first half of 2024, which is 4.98 lakh fewer than the same period last year. Concurrently, 1.27 million couples finalized their divorces.

Researcher He Yafu noted that the persistently low marriage figures signal further declines in newborns by 2025. The root causes include a dwindling young population, gender imbalances, affordability issues, and changing societal attitudes towards marriage. Government policies like the revision of the Population and Family Planning Law aiming to encourage more births have so far been insufficient. Prominent academic Peng Xizhe warns that the significant demographic challenges will necessitate robust policy interventions to reverse the trend.

(With inputs from agencies.)