Public Service Matchmaking for Unmarried Men Aged 35-55
On the 25th, Chinese media such as Pengpai reported that local governments in China, facing simultaneous declines in marriage and birth rates, have rolled up their sleeves to help unmarried men get married.
The Civil Affairs Bureau of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (hereinafter Dali Prefecture) in southwestern Yunnan Province recently announced that it will address the marriage issues of 32,844 unmarried men aged 35 to 55 within the prefecture, partly through government-arranged matchmaking and partly through free dating. The local Communist Youth League Committee and Women's Federation are involved in educating rural youth about marriage and family values, facilitating matchmaking and social interactions, and operating marriage service platforms, with female officials taking charge of "public matchmaking" in collaboration.
They also spare no effort in providing physical support such as meeting places and group activities. Facilities like cultural activity centers and parks are utilized, and regular age-specific meeting events, as well as participation in cultural, sports, and recreational activities and hobby development, are conducted as "healthy" group activities. The goal is to hold 13 dating events this year.
Currently, China faces a severe gender imbalance due to deeply rooted son preference and decades of the one-child policy. The 2000 Chinese census revealed that for every 100 girls, there were 117 boys.
The Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) warned that the increase in unmarried men could lead to social instability. Professor Li Suzhou of Xi'an Jiaotong University cautioned in a 2015 Chinese Communist Party document that the phenomenon of "surplus men" could result in female abduction or pornography addiction.
China's Marriage Registrations Decline Annually Since 2014
Additionally, amid economic slowdown, concerns about job security and the future have led more people to choose to remain single or delay marriage. Chinese media such as Sina.com cited rising marriage costs, financial pressures, and changing concepts of marriage and childbirth as reasons for the sharp decline in marriage registrations. As a result, the number of marriage registrations in China in the first half of this year dropped by 498,000 from the same period last year to 3.43 million, marking the lowest level since 2013. Marriage registrations have been decreasing annually since 2014. As the number of marriages declined, birth rates also fell. The number of newborns in January was 9.02 million, the lowest ever recorded.
With a population of 1.4 billion, China is seeking policy changes. It has omitted some previously mandatory procedures for marriage registration and added a reconsideration period after divorce applications. Beijing Civil Affairs Vocational College has also established a department for "Marriage Services and Management."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
