Authorities must boost family life by taking corrective measures

A recent statistical bulletin released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs shows that 6.84 million couples registered for marriage in China in 2022, down 10.6 percent from 2021.

Actually, the number of people registering for marriage has been dipping for nine consecutive years after peaking in 2013 when 13.47 million couples registered for marriage. The figure dipped below 10 million in 2019, below 9 million in 2020, below 8 million in 2021, and below 7 million in 2022.

This ever-increasing single population and lowering fertility rate among married people, affecting sustainable population development deserves the attention of the authorities and society.

There is also a growing divorce rate. Statistics show the number of registered divorces climbed from 580,000 couples in 1987 to 3.73 million couples in 2020.

A number of factors are responsible for fewer young people wanting to get married or start a family, be it people's higher education level, changed concept about marriage, accelerated pace of work and life, increasing forms of entertainment, and a more tolerant marriage and family culture, among others.

The high cost of marriage, high housing prices and the costly "betrothal gift", which is the money the groom has to pay to the bride's parents, are the main factors discouraging many young people from getting married.

The huge pressures stemming from the high cost of marriage as well as the significant investment of time, energy and money required to raise children, have consequently increased many young people's reluctance to marry or have children.

The rate at which China is hurtling toward becoming an aging society, as revealed by the seventh national census carried out in 2020, underlines the urgent need for the authorities and society to take some corrective measures.

The authorities should introduce practical and substantial measures, such as reducing mortgage interest rates, increasing birth subsidies and expanding the coverage of low-cost kindergartens. A healthy marriage culture should also be advocated and fostered across society to reduce the cost of marriage.