China's Marriage Crisis: The Numbers Don't Lie

China's marriage rates have hit an all-time low, and this isn't a good sign. The latest data shows that only 6. 1 million couples got married last year, which is a big drop from the previous year. This is the lowest number since records began in 1986. The government has been trying to boost these numbers, but it's not working. They've tried everything from offering money to couples who get married to hosting mass weddings. But young people aren't having it. They're facing high unemployment, rising living costs, and not enough support from the government. The number of divorces has also gone up slightly, but there's a catch. Since 2021, China has had a 30-day "cooling-off" period for people filing for divorce. This means couples have to wait a month before they can officially split. Some people think this makes it harder for women to leave bad or dangerous marriages. China's population has been shrinking for three years now, which is a big problem. The working-age population is getting smaller, and the number of people over 60 is growing. This means there are fewer young people to support the elderly. The government sees a link between fewer marriages and fewer births. In China, it's tough for unmarried couples to have kids, so fewer marriages means fewer babies. But young people aren't convinced to tie the knot, and many are choosing to skip marriage altogether. This trend is partly because of China's past policies. For decades, they tried to control population growth, which led to fewer young people now. Even after they changed the rules to allow more kids, the marriage and birth rates kept dropping. Another big factor is changing attitudes, especially among young women. They're more educated and independent now, and they're not happy with how women are treated in the workplace or at home. Some women are fed up with the expectations to take care of kids and do housework. The government is trying to promote a "new-era marriage and childbearing culture, " but it's not going well. Young people aren't buying it, and the trend is still going down. The government's efforts to boost marriage and birth rates have failed. They're trying to promote marriage and childbearing, but it's not working. Young people are facing tough times, and they're not convinced to settle down. These trends are a big challenge for China. The country is dealing with a shrinking workforce and an aging population, and fewer marriages and births aren't helping. The government needs to find new ways to tackle these issues, because the current ones aren't working.