Marriages in China fall to 18-year low, drop nearly 10% in 2026

China recorded 46.48 lakh marriages in the first nine months of 2026, the lowest figure for the period in 18 years. Registrations fell nearly 10% from a year earlier, while 20.82 lakh couples divorced during the period, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs said. This comes despite Chinese authorities introducing several measures in recent years to encourage marriage and childbearing.