China’s First-Quarter Marriage Registrations Fall to Lowest Ever

China’s marriage registrations in the first quarter fell to the lowest level on record for the three-month period, underscoring persistent weakness in the formation of new households — even during the peak wedding season.

Data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs show that 1.697 million couples registered to marry in the three months through March, down about 6.2% from a year earlier and below levels seen during the pandemic, when first‑quarter registrations exceeded 2 million.