Huang’s situation reflects a deep shift across Chinese society: fewer young people are getting married. New marriage registrations fell 20.5 per cent in 2024 to just 6.1mn, the biggest drop on record and the lowest level since 1978, according to government data released this week.

Marriage rates in China continued to plummet last year, deepening the country’s demographic crisis and highlighting the public’s changing attitudes towards marriage, childbirth, family planning, and more.

Citizens resist ruling party’s push to have more babies As China faces a decreasing and ageing population, which threatens the country's economic future, the authoritarian government wants people to have more children.