China: China has taken steps to encourage more marriages as the country grapples with a demographic crisis. Authorities have introduced a range of measures, including allowing couples to hold ceremonies and register their marriages anywhere in the country, rather than just their hometowns.
According to Thai News Agency, the measure, which was implemented in May this year, aims to streamline the wedding process and make the ceremony more special. Since its introduction, local governments have been stepping up their efforts to cater to so-called "marriage tourists," setting up marriage registration offices in places like scenic spots and even subway stations.
In the eastern city of Nanjing, couples can register their marriage at a Confucius Temple, where they can hold a Ming Dynasty-themed ceremony. In the southwestern city of Chengdu, authorities have set up an office on the picturesque Xiling Snow Mountains, at an altitude of over 3,000 meters. In Shanghai, couples can now pick up their marriage certificate at a nightclub after showing up at the marriage registration office, thanks to a partnership between the six-story nightlife complex INS Park and the Huangpu District Civil Affairs Bureau.
The government's efforts appear to be working: The number of marriages, which demographers use as a measure of a country's birth rate, rose 18 percent from a year earlier to 1.73 million in the second quarter of 2025, putting China on track to halt a decade-long decline in marriages. Statistics from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs show that the number of marriages fell by 20.5 percent last year to 6.1 million, the largest drop on record.
Yun Zhou, an assistant professor of demography at the University of Michigan in the US, said that lifting geographic restrictions makes marriage easier, but it only affects those already in the process of planning to marry. She added that this policy change alone is unlikely to lead to a sustained recovery or change in marriage rates, and given the current state of economic uncertainty and financial stress, young Chinese adults are having complex feelings about marriage and childbearing.