China Registers Historic Low In Marriages Amid Declining Birth Rate

The CNN report has said China continues to witness dismal marriage rate amid a declining birth rate and a falling population.

The report quoting China's Ministry of Civil Affairs report said about 6.8 million couples registered marriages in 2022, down 10.5% from 2021 when 7.63 million marriage registrations were made.?

“This is the lowest number since 1986 when available government data begins,” it stated.

It said the drop in couples tying the knot, which follows pandemic restrictions keeping tens of millions locked in their homes or compounds for weeks last year, comes as authorities deal with a declining birth rate and a falling population.

China's birth rate fell last year to 6.77 births per 1,000 people, the lowest on record, from 7.52 in 2021, it mentioned.

China’s death rate it said is the highest since 1974, was 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people.

China’s population also shrank in 2022 for the first time in more than 60 years, weighed down by rising living costs, especially in big, sprawling cities like Beijing, weak economic growth, and changing attitudes towards raising a family, it mentioned.

It added the decline in the number of younger people is partially a result of China's one-child policy, which lasted from the 1980s to 2016.

China had last month said that it will launch pilot projects in more than 20 cities to create a "new-era" marriages.