Marriages in China plummeted by a fifth last year, the biggest drop on record, despite manifold efforts by authorities to encourage young couples to wed and have children to boost the country's declining population.

The number of new marriages recorded in China fell to a record low last year, despite sweeping government efforts to encourage young people to tie the knot and have babies to halt demographic decline in the world’s second-largest economy.

Marriages in China plunged by a fifth to the lowest level on record last year, a setback to efforts by the government to reverse a demographic crisis threatening the world’s second-biggest economy.

The number of marriages registered in China during 2024 fell to 6.1 million couples, the lowest figure since records began in 1980, the ministry of civil affairs said. The figure represents a new decline after the rebound experienced in 2023 following consecutive years of decline,