China’s marriage rule change lifts weddings in 2024 (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: China changed one rule and saw a major rise in marriages last year. Today is Valentine's Day, and marriage registries across the country, including the one behind me here in Beijing, have seen a lot of bookings. China's government is pushing hard to encourage more young people to get married, as Beijing tries to reverse a declining birth rate that could hurt its economy. Last year, Chinese officials made a major change. For the first time, people can get married anywhere in the country. That means couples living in major cities don't have to return to their hometowns and can even choose any destination for their marriage. And there are signs that's paying off. China last year recorded 6.76 million marriages. That's 650,000 more than the previous year, when marriages hit a record low. Now, marriages have generally declined over the past decade, and the 2025 numbers are still less than just a couple years ago. Young people typically say that economic strain, as well as wanting to focus on their career and independence, are reasons to delay or avoid getting married altogether. Chinese officials are trying other perks, like extended marriage leave, while also cracking down on online comments deemed to be critical of marriage and childbirth. The government still needs to find out whether the latest uptick is a lasting trend, and, most critically, whether more marriages are a good thing. will bring more babies.