Marriages in China have fallen to their lowest level in nearly a decade as the country continues to grapple with its demographic challenges.
Marriage registrations fell to 6,2% compared to 2025 in the first quarter, which corresponds to around half of the levels observed in 2017.
According to , the Ministry of Civil Affairs confirmed this Saturday that China registered 1.697 million marriage registrations between January and March this year.
The country’s population decreased for the fourth consecutive yearwith the birth rate falling to an all-time low, prompting demographers to warn of an even greater decline.
Traditionally, Chinese couples have children after marriage, a practice influenced by both cultural norms and administrative rules that, in some cases, link birth registration or access to benefits to a marriage certificate.
In response to this situation, Chinese authorities have introduced a series of measures to encourage marriage and procreation, including family subsidies, support for child care, and efforts to reduce medical costs related to childbirth.
Last month, China unveiled a new proposal urging cities to integrate youth development into urban planning, with the aim of making urban life more conducive to young people, children and families.
This plan aims to deepen the concept of “cities oriented towards youth development” with measures covering employment, housing, health and public services.
The initiative follows the announcement made by Beijing in March, with the aim of building a “birth-friendly society” between 2026 and 2030.
Authorities are making efforts to reverse China’s demographic decline, with official data revealing that births have fallen to 7.92 million in 2025 and that the birth rate has reached an all-time low.
Proposed measures include improving social services, expanding subsidies for child care and promoting greater coverage of mother and baby rooms in public places.
Other provisions involve improving maternity and pediatric care, strengthening child care after school hours and during holidays, and ensuring more equitable access to school for the children of migrant workers.
