Beijing, July 31 (NationPress) In 2024, China witnessed a total of 6.106 million marriage registrations, representing a 20.5 percent decline compared to the previous year, as per a statistical bulletin from the Ministry of Civil Affairs released on Wednesday.

The report also indicated that the marriage rate among the Chinese populace stood at 4.3 per 1,000 individuals last year, showing a decrease of 0.11 percentage points from the preceding year, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.

During the same year, 3.513 million divorces were finalized in China, according to the same document.

Following nine consecutive years of decline from 2013 to 2022, there was a brief surge in marriage registrations in 2023. However, the downward trend resumed in 2024 and is projected to continue into 2025.

Statistics released in April revealed that China recorded 1.81 million marriage registrations in the first quarter of this year, marking an 8 percent drop from the same timeframe last year.

Li Ting, a population expert at Renmin University of China in Beijing, explained that last year’s drop in marriage registrations was partially attributed to the diminishing post-pandemic 'compensatory' marriage effect and a decreasing population within the typical marriageable age group.

Based on calculations from the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of individuals aged 20 to 39, the main marriageable age group, was approximately 435 million in 2013. By 2023, this figure had fallen to about 371 million, representing a decline of around 64 million.

Experts also cite changing attitudes toward marriage and financial strains as significant contributors to the ongoing decline. Increasing education levels and a rising focus on individualism have progressively challenged traditional marriage perspectives, Li added.

The drop in marriage rates is widely considered a contributing factor to declining birth rates, trends that are raising significant public concerns. In response, authorities across China have initiated various pro-marriage policies and measures to reverse this trend.

In May, revised marriage registration protocols in China took effect, simplifying paperwork and providing greater flexibility for couples. These new regulations dispense with the requirement for household registration books, which have been essential for marriage applications. Couples can now register their marriage at any approved registry nationwide, regardless of their household registration.

Additionally, China has implemented extended marriage leave in at least 27 provincial-level regions as part of ongoing efforts to create a more family-friendly environment.

In recent years, China has also launched a continuous campaign against exorbitant bride prices and extravagant weddings in rural areas to alleviate irrational marriage-related burdens.

A judicial interpretation regarding bride price disputes, issued by the Supreme People’s Court, came into force in February 2024, prohibiting the solicitation of money or other assets under the guise of marriage.