Little Love for Plans to Simplify China’s Marriage Maze
China’s recent move to boost its declining marriage rate has ignited widespread discussion on social media. On August 12, the Ministry of Civil Affairs released draft amendments to the country’s decades-old marriage registration rules that largely simplify the procedures, which on paper make it easier for couples to tie the knot.
According to the draft revisions, couples registering for marriage would no longer need to present their household registration certificates, known as hukou. Instead, citizens would only need to present a photo ID and a statement confirming they are unmarried and have no close blood ties to their partner.
The amendments also propose removing geographical restrictions on where marriages can be registered, allowing people to register anywhere within the country rather than being limited to the location of their permanent hukou status.
However, the latest draft revisions reaffirm the need for a 30-day cooling-off period for those seeking a divorce, a rule that has been in place since 2021.
Hukou certificates, which cover an entire household rather than an individual, are typically held by the heads of families. In the past, if parents opposed their children’s choice of a partner, they could withhold the certificate, effectively preventing their children from registering the marriage.
Supporters argue that the changes would restore marriage as a matter of individual choice, free from parental influence. However, many netizens voiced their disapproval, criticizing the rules for simplifying marriage registration while complicating divorce, which they believe infringes on the freedom of marriage. Critics also argue that removing the hukou certificate requirement could lead to young couples registering marriages without informing their parents, potentially resulting in hasty decisions and future family conflicts.
This year, China has seen its lowest marriage rate since 2013. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 3.43 million couples got married in the first half of 2024, a nearly 13 percent drop from the same period last year. This figure is half of what it was in 2014, when about 6.94 million couples married.