Beijing: Despite the Chinese government's concerted efforts to address the nation's demographic crisis, more and more women in China are opting out of marriage and motherhood, a trend that experts warn could have severe long-term consequences for the country's population stability and economic growth.

The reluctance among younger women to marry and have children is becoming increasingly common. Janet Song, a 25-year-old working at a pet café in Guangzhou, reflects the sentiments of many Gen Z women, stating that modern urban life is more accommodating to single individuals. "Marriage and childbirth have become almost synonymous with stress for us young people," she explained.

Statistics show that the average age of marriage in China has been steadily increasing, rising from 23.59 years in 1980 to 28.67 years in 2020. The gap is even more pronounced for women, with the average age of marriage climbing from 24 years in 2010 to nearly 28 years in 2020.

Lijia Zhang, an author and social commentator, attributes this shift to practical concerns such as financial insecurity, high living costs, and a desire for gender equality and independence. "Many young women are delaying marriage, and some are choosing not to marry at all. They no longer see marriage as a necessary step toward happiness," she noted.

China's economic slowdown and rising unemployment have also contributed to the trend. Jacey Zhang, a 27-year-old from Beijing, expressed doubts about her ability to raise a family due to financial instability. "Without a job, you can't find a spouse. One person has enough to eat, but a whole family is another story," she said.

China's population structure has transformed into an "inverted pyramid," with a growing number of senior citizens and a shrinking number of children. The number of newborns has plummeted from 17 million in 2017 to just 9 million in 2023, marking a 5.7 percent year-on-year decline in 2022. The fertility rate has also dropped to 1.3 children per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1 needed for population stability.

In response to these alarming trends, Beijing abandoned its controversial one-child policy in 2016 and allowed families to have up to three children. Chinese President Xi Jinping even urged women to leave their jobs and focus on raising children. However, these measures have failed to produce the desired baby boom. Fang Xu, a lecturer, dismissed Xi's call, saying, "As a woman with a college degree, you want me to give up my career and be a good wife and mother? Why should I live such a life?"

The declining marriage and birth rates in China have led experts to predict a bleak future for the nation's economy. Emma Waters, a senior research associate at the Washington-based Heritage Foundation, pointed out that the Chinese government is beginning to realize that the demographic crisis is largely self-inflicted. "Beijing expected a baby boom after couples were allowed to have more children, but birth rates have continued to decline," she said.

The China Development Report 2023, prepared by a government agency, predicts that the birth rate will continue to decline for the foreseeable future, with the number of births expected to decrease by approximately one million every decade.

As China's population continues to shrink and the proportion of elderly citizens rises, the economic impact is expected to be severe. Darren Tay, head of Asia country risk at BMI Country Risk & Industry Analysis, warned that the working-age population in China will decline so rapidly over the next decade that the economy could face a 1 percent drag in GDP growth per year.

With Beijing's pro-natalist policies failing to yield results, economists are painting a grim picture for China's future economic growth. Prominent labor economist Cai Fang cautioned that if the demographic challenges are not addressed early, the conflict between consumer demand and the aging population will intensify, significantly increasing the risk of economic stagnation.