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In the first quarter of this year, there were 1.81 million marriage registrations and 630,000 divorce registrations in China, with the number of marriage registrations further declining compared to the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest data from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The ministry released the country's civil affairs statistical data for the first quarter of 2025, according to its official website on Friday.

The data shows that in the first quarter of this year, there were 1.81 million marriage registrations and 630,000 divorce registrations nationwide.

Compared to the 1.969 million marriage registrations and 573,000 divorce registrations nationwide in the first quarter of 2024, the number of marriage registrations in the first quarter of this year decreased by 159,000, while divorce registrations increased by 57,000, The Paper reported.

Looking at annual statistics, after a brief rebound in 2023 halted the previous decline, the national marriage registration numbers fell again to 6.106 million in 2024, said The Paper.

In recent years, the central government has proactively introduced policy measures to streamline marriage registration.

On April 9, China unveiled newly revised marriage registration regulations that are set to take effect on May 10, aiming to expand family support services, enable nationwide registration access, and optimize administrative procedures, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

One main revision of the regulations is that couples will no longer need to register marriages in the location of their hukou, or permanent household registration, according to Xinhua. The regulations have also introduced nationwide marriage registration services to further improve accessibility.

The regulations also aim to optimize marriage registration services. Local authorities are required to improve service quality and standardize and upgrade registration venues for greater convenience. Registration offices should legally verify documents, conduct inquiries, and perform online verification of applicants' identities and marital status.

Meanwhile, some government departments nationwide have begun rolling out measures to incentivize marriage, aiming to promote age-appropriate marriage and childbirth.

Starting January 1, couples registering their first marriage in Lüliang, North China's Shanxi Province, where the wife is aged 35 or younger, will receive a reward of 1,500 yuan ($205), according to the city's government.

The incentive will be distributed on-site at marriage registration counters, the government said.

Nanling village in Guangzhou's Baiyun district recently stipulated that first-time married couples - with at least one spouse being a shareholder member holding village household registration - are eligible to apply for a maximum reward of 40,000 yuan, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

The government of East China's Zhejiang Province on March 21 issued measures to improve the fertility support policy system, pledging to promote the integrated development of marriage registration with cultural tourism, and enhance the quality of comprehensive marriage registration services, according to its official website.

It also plans to establish secure, reliable, and high-quality online dating platforms, expand matchmaking events for young local workers, increase the number of matchmakers, and refine policies related to marriage and childbearing for university students.

Global Times