Environment
China recorded a sharp decline in marriage registrations during the first nine months of 2026, raising fresh concerns about the country’s already falling birth rate and worsening demographic crisis.
China recorded a sharp decline in marriage registrations during the first nine months of 2026, raising fresh concerns about the country’s already falling birth rate and worsening demographic crisis. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, figures released by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs show that 4.648 million marriages were registered between January and September. This represents a decline of 504,000, or 9.8%, compared with the same period last year. Reuters reported that approximately 2.08 million couples also divorced during these months. The decline in marriage registrations is being viewed as a major setback for Chinese society. Marriage registrations had shown a temporary improvement in 2025.
A decline in marriages generally leads to fewer births, and China is already struggling with a shrinking population and an ageing society. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the country recorded 7.92 million births in 2025, down 17% from 9.54 million in 2024. China’s birth rate fell to 5.63 births per 1,000 people, the lowest level since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
China’s total population also declined by 3.39 million in 2025, falling to approximately 1.405 billion. This marked the fourth consecutive year of population decline. China’s population is expected to shrink further in the coming decades. Reuters reported that the number of women aged 15 to 49, the reproductive-age group defined by the United Nations, could fall by more than two-thirds to below 100 million by the end of this century. The government has introduced childcare subsidies, expanded support for preschool childcare and other incentives to encourage couples to marry and have children. However, rising living costs and changing attitudes towards marriage and family life have limited the impact of these measures.
