China population: marriages set to end 9-year run of declines in 2023, but demographic issues remain
- 5.69 million marriages were recorded in China in the first three quarters, with the trend set to push the annual total above 7 million for the first time since 2021
- Marriages in China plunged to the lowest recorded level since the late 1970s in 2022, amid a broader demographic crisis of falling births and an ageing population
China could end a nine-year streak of declining marriage registrations this year, with a swift rise in the number of newlyweds during the first three quarters likely to push the annual total above 7 million.
In the first nine months of 2023, 5.69 million marriages were registered in China, marking a notable increase of 245,000 compared to the same period last year, according to data released last week by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
After 2.14 million marriages were recorded in the first three months, the figure stood at over 1.7 million in each subsequent quarter, setting a trend that is expected to push the annual total back above 7 million for the first time since 2021, although uncertainties remain whether the increase can be sustained.