Marriage on the rocks in China as women rethink their options and Covid-19 limits take toll
- In 2021, the lowest number of couples tied the knot since records began in 1986
- A range of factors at play, from coronavirus restrictions to the legacy of the one-child policy, observers say
The number of marriages in China hit a new low last year, extending a near decade-long decline and casting a shadow over Beijing’s efforts to raise the fertility rate.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Friday that around 7.63 million marriages were registered in 2021, the lowest total since 1986 when records began.
That compared with more than 8.13 million in 2020 and a peak of 13.46 million marriages in 2013.
According to independent analysis, the number of marriages per 1,000 people in China was 5.41 last year compared with 9.88 in 2013.
Marriage rates were lowest in Shanghai and Zhejiang, Fujian, Hebei, and Hunan provinces, and highest in Tibet, Qinghai, Guizhou, Anhui, and Ningxia, the ministry said.
Researchers said long-term and short-range factors were at play.