To address China’s declining population, Chen Songxi, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has proposed lowering the legal marriage age to 18. This proposal aims to boost fertility rates and “unleash reproductive potential” in the face of a demographic downturn.
Chen’s proposal includes lowering the marriage age, relaxing childbirth restrictions, and establishing an incentive system for marriage and childbirth. Currently, China’s legal marriage age is 22 for men and 20 for women, which is among the highest in the world. In contrast, most developed countries have set the legal marriage age at 18.
The demographic challenges China faces today are attributed mainly to the one-child policy, which was in effect from 1980 to 20155. This policy led to a significant decrease in the fertility rate and a skewed sex ratio, with a preference for male children. Despite the policy’s end and the introduction of a two-child policy in 2016, followed by a three-child policy in 2021, the birth and fertility rates have remained low.
Chen’s proposal comes ahead of China’s annual parliamentary meeting, where officials are expected to announce measures to offset the declining population. The proposal is not intended to force people to marry at a younger age but to offer broader options and align with international norms.
In addition to lowering the marriage age, Chen suggests removing restrictions on the number of children a family can have to meet the “urgent needs of population development in the new era”. He also advocates for more diverse and robust incentive policies, such as monthly cash allowances and medical support for each child until they reach a certain age.
Despite authorities’ efforts to encourage young couples to marry and have children, many are deterred by the high cost of raising children and an unwillingness to put their careers on hold. China is one of the world’s most expensive places to raise a child relative to GDP per capita.
Chen’s proposal aims to reverse the ultra-low fertility trend and slow down the imbalance in the population structure. Whether these measures will be effective remains to be seen, but they highlight the urgent need for innovative solutions to address China’s demographic challenges.
