In China, the first-ever marriage-related major will be established due to the decline in marriage.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), China’s Civil Affairs University (CCAU) will create a new undergraduate marriage program and enroll 70 new students this September. It will cover marriage planning, matchmaking services, and marriage counseling.
Vice President Zhao Honggang stated, “We will produce high-level necessary talent across the marriage-related industry. We expect graduates to find employment in marriage information companies or marriage and family counseling institutions.” The campus will feature a mock wedding venue and an office for marriage registration.
Recent statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs show a significant drop in marriage registrations. In the first half of this year, registrations fell by 498,000, a 12.7% decrease from last year’s total of 3.928 million. This is the lowest figure since 2013, and compared to the first half of 2014, when there were 6.94 million registrations, the number has more than halved over the past decade.
Experts predict that if this trend continues, the total number of marriages for the year will be the lowest since 1980. Considering that many couples marry during the Chinese New Year, they estimate that this year’s total will reach only 6.6 million.
Analysts agree that the decline in marriages is due to a decrease in the young adult population. Since 1987, birth rates in China have steadily declined. Economic crisis and job scarcity have also contributed to a growing trend of individuals opting out of marriage.
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