The latest official data from the Chinese Communist Party shows that in the first quarter of 2024, the number of registered marriages in China fell below 2 million pairs, a decrease of 178,000 pairs compared to the first quarter of 2023.
On June 18, the news of “this year’s first quarter national marriage registrations falling below 2 million pairs” has sparked attention on the mainland Chinese internet.
According to the official website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party and the report “2024 First Quarter Civil Affairs Statistics Data,” in the first quarter of 2024, there were 1.969 million registered marriages and 573,000 divorces nationwide, a decrease of 178,000 and 68,000 pairs respectively compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Previously reported:
The number of marriage registrations in China hits a new low, with population and economic issues being the main reasons.
In 2023, the first-quarter marriage registration volume was 2.147 million pairs, in 2022 it was 2.107 million pairs, and in 2021 it was 2.132 million pairs.
“Jiemian News” reported on the 17th that demographics expert He Yafu, who has been tracking marriage registration data for a long time, stated that after reaching its peak in 2013, the number of marriage registrations in China has been continuously declining for nine years. In 2023, due to the easing of the epidemic, compensatory registrations occurred, leading to a slight increase in registrations. The year-on-year decrease in marriage registrations in the first quarter of this year indicates that the compensatory effect of the epidemic has disappeared, and it is expected that the number of marriage registrations for the whole year of 2024 will continue to decline.
In 2023, the marriage registration volumes for the first to fourth quarters were 2.147 million pairs, 1.781 million pairs, 1.762 million pairs, and 1.99 million pairs, respectively; in 2022, the figures were 2.107 million pairs, 1.625 million pairs, 1.713 million pairs, and 1.388 million pairs for the first to fourth quarters; in 2021, the numbers were 2.132 million pairs, 2.034 million pairs, 1.72 million pairs, and 1.75 million pairs for the first to fourth quarters.
The decrease in the number of marriage registrations in the first quarter of 2024 has sparked widespread discussions among netizens.
Alien_xy sarcastically commented, “If we exclude the remarriages, the numbers would look even better.”
L-swaggie said, “Don’t worry, it will continue to decline.”
Before Duo’an expressed, “I want to get married, but I’m about to lose my job.”
Feng_Xiao_Xia added, “The ratio of divorces to marriages is close to 30%.”
Shi_Jing_Na_Yun_Long pointed out, “The problem is very serious. In a few years, a large number of single elderly people will emerge. Due to a low birth rate, there will be a severe shortage of personnel in the elderly care industry. The contradiction of having the funds but lacking people for elderly care will be very serious. At that time, having children will be truly invaluable…”
Yuanye2016 stated, “Because marriage brings me no benefit, mere love is enough for me. I do not want to be financially and morally tied to another person. Unless policies like family tax deduction, similar to Germany’s, are introduced, I will not marry.”
This shift in marriage registration trends in China reflects not only changing societal dynamics but also the evolving attitudes towards marriage and relationships in modern Chinese society.