China's Marriage Rate Hits 37-Year Low Amid Population Crisis

China recorded its lowest number of marriages since 1986, with just 6.83 million couples tying the knot in 2022, down 10.5% from the previous year. The decline in marriages has coincided with falling birth rates, causing concern for a demographic crisis. The Chinese government has taken steps to reverse the trend, including relaxing the one-child policy and incentivizing childbirth and marriage. However, financial pressures, changing gender norms, and government regulations make it challenging for unmarried couples to have children. The decline in marriages and births has garnered significant attention from authorities in Beijing amid expert predictions of a severe economic impact from a shrinking workforce and aging population.