Beijing, China: As China grapples with significant demographic imbalances, a new challenge has emerged: an increasing number of young people are opting to stay single due to the high costs associated with marriage and raising children. This trend is exacerbating the country's long-term economic issues.

From January to March 2024, the marriage rate in China fell by 8.2% compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Only 1.969 million new marriages were registered in the first quarter of 2024, down from 2.1447 million in the first quarter of 2023. This decline comes at a time when China is facing economic downturns, a struggling property market, high local government debt, and deflationary pressures. Additionally, youth unemployment remains alarmingly high at 14.2% for those aged 16 to 24 as of May 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The high cost of living and economic insecurity are major deterrents for Chinese youth, who increasingly prefer to remain single rather than face the financial burdens of marriage and family life. This trend is particularly pronounced among well-educated urban residents in their 20s and 30s.

China has been experiencing a population decline since 2022, marking the first major drop since the Great Famine in 1961. The population decreased by 850,000 in 2022 and continued to decline in 2023, dropping by 2.08 million to 1.409 billion, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The aging population and the growing number of singles have alarmed Chinese authorities. In October 2023, President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for women to cultivate a new culture of marriage and childbearing and to guide young people’s views on these matters.

Despite government initiatives to reverse the trend, such as the China Family Planning Association's pilot program launched in 2022 and various incentives from local governments, the marriage rate continues to decline. These measures include cash rewards for early marriages and extended marriage leave, but they have had limited success.

The reluctance to marry is deeply rooted in both economic and cultural factors. Financial insecurity, long working hours, and the cultural expectation of owning a home and car before dating are significant barriers. Additionally, marriage itself is expensive, with the average spending on a wedding in 2020 being $25,000, according to Tencent's White Paper on marriage industry insights.

The shift in attitudes is evident from census data showing that the average age for first marriages rose from 20-24 years in 2010 to over 30 in 2020. The share of unmarried women aged 25-29 in urban China increased from 8.6% in 2000 to 40.6% in 2020, according to Professor Wang Feng from the University of California.

Experts warn that fewer marriages will lead to fewer births and a shrinking workforce, impacting China's heavily manufacturing-dependent economy. Despite the government's efforts, young Chinese are not inclined to change their views on marriage, preferring to stay single if they cannot find a suitable partner.

China's demographic challenges are compounded by its rapidly aging population, putting additional strain on its economy. As economic insecurity continues to weigh heavily on the youth, the government's push to encourage marriage and childbirth faces significant hurdles. The country must address these economic and cultural barriers to mitigate the long-term impacts on its economy and society.