May 15, 2026
Marriage registrations in China fell 6.2 percent year on year in the first quarter and are about half 2017 levels, official data show, underscoring the demographic strain in a country where childbearing remains closely tied to marriage.
China recorded 1.697 million marriage registrations in the quarter, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Saturday.
The figures are the latest sign of China's deepening demographic challenges.
China's population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, while its birth rate dropped to a record low, prompting warnings from demographers of further decline.
