China’s ‘Leftover Men’ Problem Persists: 45 Million Single Men Remain Unmarried

China’s old bachelor population, which began to become a problem in earnest at the end of the last century, is estimated to number around 45 million by the end of 2023. Most of them are scattered across the impoverished rural areas. Still, it’s safe to say that unlike urban bachelors, who get opportunities like beans sprouting in a drought, these men would never even dream of associating with women.

Chinese Economic Daily

According to sources in Beijing familiar with the country’s population issues on the 28th, China has implemented a one-child policy for nearly 40 years to control population growth since the late 1970s. Consequently, they faced horrifying and bizarre consequences known as the leftover men phenomenon.

Due to the severity of the situation, authorities hurriedly abolished the one-child policy around 2016. However, it was too late. The accumulation of old bachelors has made it difficult to reverse the situation for a considerable period. Fortunately, it seems that the preference for sons has been alleviated to a great extent this century, leading to a significant improvement in the phenomenon of male-only births. However, the current problem of the bachelor population remains a challenge that is not easy to solve.

There are a few desperate measures China could take. For example, importing brides from poorer countries could be a viable alternative. This has become a trend in some parts of southern mainland China. There are even rumors of illegal human trafficking organizations operating for this purpose.

However, such desperate measures have limitations, like growing beans in a drought. Therefore, experts like Professor Ding Changfa, who is active in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, argue that the state should actively carry out bride import businesses. This is an extremely bold proposal.

However, considering that no country has ever conducted such a radical experiment, Professor Ding’s argument is likely to be an empty echo. Moreover, there is strong opposition. The problem of China’s old bachelor population is such a tough challenge that it wouldn’t be easy to solve even with the world’s best minds.