China’s marriage rate in third quarter tumbles to 18-year low

HONG KONG – China’s marriage rate for the first nine months of 2026 plummeted to its lowest level in 18 years, fuelling concerns about declining births and demographic strain in a country where childbearing remains closely tied to wedlock.A total of 4.65 million couples got married from January to end September, while 2.08 million couples divorced, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs published this week.The number was the lowest in 18 years, local news outlet Yicai reported on Nov 6.Chinese authorities have rolled out a range of measures in recent years to encourage marriage and childbearing, including family subsidies, childcare support, and reduced childbirth-related medical costs.They have also pledged to integrate youth development into urban planning, housing, healthcare, education and public services, in a broader push to make urban life more supportive for young people, children and families.Despite these efforts, China is now supporting more elderly people than children, with the old-age dependency ratio surpassing that of children.China’s population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, as its birth rate dropped to a record low, prompting demographers to warn of further declines.The number of women in China of reproductive age, defined by the United Nations as 15-49, is set to drop by more than two-thirds to under 100 million by the end of the century. REUTERS