China steps up push for marriage and childbirth amid shifting social attitudes
Authorities have rolled out incentives to boost marriages and births, but shifting attitudes and economic pressures among young Chinese pose deeper challenges.
by Krystal Chia · CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
SHANGHAI: The past year has been both challenging and fulfilling for music teachers Huang Zhen Hui and Liang Ren Jia.
Not only did they set up their own music school in Shanghai, they also got married after dating for seven years.
Initially, the couple were worried their parents might oppose their relationship due to the 1,000km-long distance between their hometowns. Huang is from Shandong province and Liang is from Zhejiang province.
But both families gave their blessings, and they tied the knot last November in Shanghai.
“(Marriage) gives both of us something to look forward to in life,” Huang told CNA.
“Many young people nowadays just date casually; if one doesn’t work out, they move on to the next. But deep down, everyone craves a sense of belonging, and perhaps marriage is where that belonging lies.”
Liang added that like other young Chinese, the pair face financial pressures too, but are taking it in stride together.
“When you’re dealing with financial stress alone, it feels overwhelming. Two people are strong than one person ... we can tackle these challenges together,” she said.
MARRIAGE RATES REBOUND IN 2025
The couple was among 6.76 million registered marriages in China last year, a rebound from a historic low in 2024.
The increase has been attributed to several factors, including policy changes and cultural considerations.
In May last year, China removed a decades-old rule requiring couples to register marriages in their hometowns, allowing them to do so anywhere in the country.
2024 was also dubbed the "Year of the Widow" according to the traditional Chinese calendar, leading couples to postpone their marriages to 2025, which was an auspicious year.
POLICY PUSH AT TWO SESSIONS
At this year’s Two Sessions – the country’s largest annual political gathering – officials pledged to build a “childbirth-friendly society” in the next five years, with measures such as improved maternal healthcare and better housing support for married couples.
The country will also step up population services and foster positive attitudes toward marriage and childbearing. This pledge comes on top of a range of measures rolled out in recent years to boost marriage and birth rates.
After scrapping its one-child policy in 2016, China allowed couples to have two children, and later three in 2021.
More recently, authorities have offered cash handouts of 3,600 yuan (US$520) per child under the age of three. Some provinces offer additional local incentives such as extended maternity leave.
However, population experts warn that fundamental livelihood issues such as income and employment, as well as shifting attitudes toward marriage and family, will continue to pose major challenges.
“It used to be that marriage and childbearing took very important, central roles in China’s society. Now, that importance is seeing a decline,” said Mu Zheng, deputy director of the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Family and Population Research.
“They have many (other) things on their checklists to define what is fulfilling and achieving success in adult life.”
DEMOGRAPHIC PRESSURES MOUNT
These shifting views are a growing concern for authorities, as marriage and childbearing remain closely intertwined in China.
Like many nations, China is grappling with a worsening demographic crisis: a rapidly ageing population and record-low fertility.
The country’s birth rate fell to a new low of 5.63 per 1,000 people last year. Its population also shrank by 3.39 million to 1.4 billion, the fourth consecutive year of decline.
At the same time, a growing number of elderly citizens are left with little family support, increasing reliance on state pensions.
These demographic changes add further pressure on the world’s second-largest economy, which is already grappling with slowing growth and weak domestic consumption.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app