Boost Fertility Rates with Earlier Marriage Age?
China adviser pushes to lower legal marriage age to 18 to boost fertility chances in the face of a declining population and "unleash reproductive potential". China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, as marriages plummeted by a fifth, the biggest drop on record. The country's demographic downturn is largely attributed to its one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015.
- By introducing an earlier marriage age, China may be attempting to reverse decades of restrictive policies that led to a significant decline in birth rates.
- What potential long-term consequences will this decision have for the cultural and social fabric of Chinese society?