Experts have called for stronger policy and financial support for young people and enhanced efforts to eliminate workplace discrimination to foster a marriage-and birth-friendly society.
专家呼吁加强针对年轻人的政策和财政支持，并加大消除职场歧视的力度，以营造一个支持婚姻和生育的社会环境。
According to the China Statistical Yearbook, which was published recently by the National Bureau of Statistics, about 6.1 million couples registered their marriage in 2024. Among them, 6.04 million were mainland residents, while 61,900 had spouses who were foreigners, overseas Chinese, or residents of the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan.
根据国家统计局近日发布的《中国统计年鉴》，2024年全国登记结婚约610万对。其中，大陆居民登记结婚604万对，与外国公民、海外华侨及港澳台地区居民结婚登记6.19万对。
Data shows that the number of marriage registrations has fluctuated in recent years, with a marginal rebound in 2023 after continuous decline since 2013. In the first three quarters of 2025, there has been a modest increase in the number, with about 5.15 million couples registering their marriage, compared with 4.75 million during the same period last year.
数据显示，近年来婚姻登记数量呈现波动态势，自2013年持续下降后，2023年出现小幅回升。2025年前三季度登记数量有所增长，约515万对新人完成婚姻登记，较去年同期475万对有所增加。
Amid this trend, experts and members of the public have urged more policy and financial support from the government to ease pressures on young people of marriageable age and encourage them to marry and have children.
在此趋势下，专家和公众呼吁政府提供更多政策和财政支持，以缓解适婚年龄青年的压力，鼓励他们结婚生子。
"From a demographic perspective, China's current population of marriageable age—mainly those born after 1990 and 2000—is shrinking. Young people's views on marriage differ from those of previous generations. They tend to delay marriage or choose not to marry," said Jiang Quanbao, a professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business' School of Labor Economics in Beijing.
从人口结构角度看，中国当前适婚年龄段人口——主要是1990后和2000后群体——正在缩减。首都经济贸易大学劳动经济学院教授姜全保指出：“年轻一代的婚姻观与前辈存在差异，他们普遍推迟结婚或选择不结婚。”
Social pressures and changing norms also influence marriage decisions, Jiang noted. "Young people face financial pressures from housing expenses, 'bride price', and wedding and childbearing costs. Also, women are becoming more educated and pursuing career success," he said, adding that society has become more inclusive and open-minded about diverse attitudes toward marriage.
姜全保指出，社会压力和不断变化的规范也影响着婚姻决策，“年轻人面临住房开支、‘彩礼’以及婚嫁生育等经济压力。同时，女性受教育程度不断提高，更追求事业成功。”他还表示，社会对婚姻的多样化态度也变得更加包容和开放。
Zhang Xianling, an associate professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics' School of Sociology and Psychology in Beijing, told Workers' Daily that marriage is traditionally seen as essential for personal growth and carrying forward the family bloodline, but with rapid economic and social transformations, more young people now choose to delay marriage or not marry at all.
中央财经大学社会与心理学院副教授张现苓向《工人日报》表示，婚姻传统上被视为个人成长和延续家族血脉的重要途径，但随着经济社会快速转型，如今越来越多的年轻人选择推迟结婚或不结婚。
To boost marriage and childbirth rates, relevant authorities have rolled out new supportive measures, includingstreamlining marriage registration procedures.
为提高结婚率和生育率，相关主管部门推出了一系列支持性新措施，包括简化结婚登记手续。
In May, people of marriageable age were allowed to register for marriage at their place of work or residence instead of their hometowns under the hukou system, also known as household registration.
五月起，适婚年龄人群可在工作地或居住地登记结婚，无需再按户籍制度要求返回户籍所在地办理。
In July, a financial support policy was introduced to give families 3,600 yuan ($511) per year for each child under the age of 3 years.
七月，一项财政支持政策出台，规定每年为每个未满三周岁的儿童提供3600元（约合511美元）的补助。
The recently adopted recommendations for formulating China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) also call for promoting positive attitudes toward marriage and childbirth by optimizing supportive policies and incentives.
近期通过的关于制定中国第十五个五年规划（2026-2030年）的建议，同时要求通过完善支持性政策和激励措施，促进社会对婚姻和生育的积极态度。
Wang Xuanyi, 29, a financial analyst in Beijing, said that for ordinary people, the greatest pressures of marriage include home loans and child-rearing expenses. "For me, as a woman, I may face discrimination in the workplace, as some employers see pregnant employees as a burden."
29岁的北京金融分析师王宣怡（音译）表示，对普通人而言，婚姻的最大压力包括房贷和育儿开支，“作为女性，我可能面临职场歧视，因为有些雇主认为怀孕员工是负担。”
Wang emphasized that it is important for the government to promote healthier perspectives on marriage and childbirth by alleviating young people's concerns about career development, high housing prices, and a work culture that is not friendly toward childcare.
王宣怡（音译）强调，政府应通过缓解年轻人对职业发展、高房价以及不利于育儿的工作文化的担忧，来倡导更健康的婚姻和生育观念。
"It will be a long journey, but I think things will get better if we receive stronger policy and financial support from the authorities," she added.
她补充道：“这将是一段漫长的旅程，但我认为，如果我们能获得政府更强有力的政策和财政支持，情况将会好转。”
Jiang, from Capital University of Economics and Business, said that encouraging young people to marry and have children requires a systematic effort involving financial support, improved public services and guidance on marriage values.
来自首都经济贸易大学的姜全保教授指出，鼓励年轻人结婚生子需要系统性举措，包括提供经济支持、完善公共服务以及引导婚姻价值观。
"The government can offer special housing subsidies, or low-interest or interest-free housing loans, to the newlyweds. In addition to childcare subsidies, it could explore benefits such as marriage and settlement allowances and tax reductions for couples," he said.
政府可为新婚夫妇提供专项住房补贴，或发放低息乃至免息住房贷款。除育儿补贴外，还可探索婚姻定居津贴、夫妻税收减免等福利措施。
Jiang said that it is crucial "to fully implement and optimize thematernity leave system and encourage men to share childcare responsibilities to reduce the 'motherhood penalty'—prejudices women may face in the job market due to childbirth".
姜全保表示，关键在于“全面落实并完善产假制度，鼓励男性分担育儿责任，以减轻‘母亲惩罚’——即女性因生育而在就业市场可能面临的偏见”。
The expert also called for improvements in childcare services, and suggested that schools and residential communities organize lectures for young people on maintaining relationships and managing family tensions.
姜全保还呼吁改善托儿服务，并建议学校和社区为年轻人组织讲座，内容涉及维系亲密关系和处理家庭矛盾。
"It's important to portray a healthy, fair and happy marriage and family life," he said, adding that trade unions and communities could organize diverse and healthy dating activities or social events for young people.
他说：“展现健康、公平、幸福的婚姻和家庭生活很重要。”他还表示，工会和社区可以为年轻人组织多样化、健康的约会活动或社交活动。
streamline
v./ˈstriːm.laɪn/
简化
maternity leave
n./məˈtɝː.nə.t̬i/
产假
bride price
彩礼
Otros episodios de "CD Voice"
No te pierdas ningún episodio de “CD Voice”. Síguelo en la aplicación gratuita de GetPodcast.
