Summary
China’s marriage rate hit a record low in 2024, with only 6.1 million marriages, a 20% drop from 2023 and the lowest since records began in 1986.
Rising costs, youth unemployment, changing gender roles, and a growing preference for single life contribute to the trend. Government incentives to boost marriage and birth rates have largely failed.
Social attitudes are shifting, with less family pressure to marry, skepticism over restrictive divorce laws, and calls for same-sex marriage recognition.
Experts warn this decline could accelerate China’s demographic and economic challenges.
I had missed the introduction of this in 2021.
“The law requires couples who are mutually seeking a divorce to wait for 30 days before formalising it. If the couples don’t show up for two appointments between 30 and 60 days after applying, their application is automatically cancelled.”
“In February Chinese media reported fully booked appointment slots in Shenzhen, Shanghai and other cities, with some being sold by scalpers.”
source
That would certainly be a disincentive to get married if you could not get out of it if you needed to.
In the great state of Wisconsin, there is a 120 day waiting period after filing and paying the Clerk of the Circuit Court. After the 120 days then you can obtain a date for a final court hearing before it becomes legally accepted
So it could be much worse. It could be Wisconsin
It’s wrong, but I don’t see it as a big deal either. If someone is escaping an abusive marriage, and can escape, being legally married carries no weight. And that’s the worst case scenario.
Ex and I split amicably (mostly), went our separate ways. We were married for a couple of years afterwards because we were too lazy to pull the trigger.
Are there situations where waiting 4-months hurts someone?
Other than the fact that an abuser can just hold all your property hostage for 4 months and leave you with either A) no legal claim to your belongings or B) no choice but to return to your abuser?
Why should be not be as easy to exit a contract as it is to enter one?
How does being married or not change that? Say I beat my wife and she runs away. She can get a police escort to get some of her things. I’ve been on the escorted end of that scenario. (Obviously they won’t wait for a moving service.)
So you’re saying the law considers everything in a home the property of the person remaining, if they’re married? You should meet some people going through a divorce. It ain’t like that.
Of course it should be easy to divorce. My first two words: “It’s wrong…”