China has been struggling with declining marriage rates since 2013 – the city of Guixi has now found a possible solution: a state-funded dating site in the form of an app.
The platform, aptly named “Guixi Palm”, takes background data (owned by the province) from singles and matches its users based on that. The app should even include a function to organize blind dates, according to the state newspaper “China Youth Daily”.
The launch of this app is part of a large-scale campaign in Jiangxi province in eastern China. For example, in Gao’an, another town in JInagxi, authorities organized a “dating event” for local singles to meet in traditional dresses to “get closer while feeling the depth of Chinese culture”. According to reports, about 100 young singles showed up.
China has been struggling with declining marriage rates for about a decade. The peak was reached in 2013, when 23.9 million people got married nationwide. In 2019, there were only 13.9 million, a decrease of 41 percent. The age of marriage is also changing: between 1990 and 2016, the average age for women rose from 22 to 25 years and for men from 24 to 27 years.
The birth rate goes hand in hand with the marriage rate. While in the last century China still pursued the one-child policy to lower the birth rate. Now, at 1.58 births per woman, it is lower than ever. For comparison: in Switzerland the birth rate is 1.46, in the US 1.64.
There are many reasons why the Chinese are tired of getting married. For one thing, the practice of “bride price” is still prevalent, especially in rural areas. Traditionally, the groom-to-be offers the bride’s family a large sum of money to marry her. Officially, this tradition is banned, but in fact it is still widespread. An (unofficial) national study said in 2022 that “bride prices” in Jiangxi province averaged 380,000 yuan (51,000 francs).
On the other hand, the high hurdles of divorce discourage young Chinese from getting married. Under a new law, a couple seeking divorce (by mutual agreement) must wait 30 days to “change their mind”. After this period, the divorce must be applied for again.
However, lawyers report that approval is not granted in all cases. It’s rather random. A Weibo user describes the situation as follows:
(cpf)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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