China has recently witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of newlyweds for the first time in almost a decade. Recent data reported by the BBC reveals that in 2023, a staggering 7.68 million couples tied the knot, marking a significant 12.4% rise from the previous year.
This surge in marriages comes as part of the Chinese government’s concerted efforts to address the concerning decline in birth rates across the nation. Following years of strict family planning policies, including the infamous one-child policy enforced since the 1980s, China has grappled with dwindling population growth. However, recent changes to these policies in 2015 and 2021 aimed to reverse this trend and encourage more couples to start families.
Premier Li Qiang has underscored the importance of fostering a “birth-friendly society” and ensuring long-term, balanced population development. To support this goal, the government has pledged to implement various measures aimed at easing the financial burden associated with childbirth, parenting, and education. Additionally, improvements in parental leave policies are on the horizon, aimed at providing better support to new parents.
Despite these efforts, China’s population saw a decline for the second consecutive year in 2023, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the persistently low birth rate. Alongside the increase in marriages, there has also been a rise in the number of couples seeking divorce, with 2.59 million registering for uncontested divorces in the same year.
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