China’s marriage numbers plunge to Covid-era low as population woes deepen
South China Morning Post • • general
Key Points:
- China saw a 6.24% decline in first-quarter marriage registrations in 2024, with 1.697 million couples marrying, the lowest since 2020.
- The drop continues amid ongoing demographic challenges, including a declining birth rate and shrinking population.
- The first quarter is usually a peak marriage season due to the Chinese New Year, making the decline particularly notable.
- Divorce registrations also decreased slightly by 1.27% to 622,000 in the same period.
- Marriage registration figures are closely monitored as they strongly predict birth trends in China, where extramarital births remain socially taboo.