In China, where gender imbalance has become a social issue, a controversial proposal has emerged, suggesting that foreign brides should be imported to address the problem of unmarried men.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Ding Changfa, an associate professor at Xiamen University, proposed encouraging international marriages and importing foreign brides to help the 35 million unmarried men in China.
As a result of the long-standing one-child policy, China has experienced a severe gender imbalance, with an estimated 34.9 million more men than women as of 2020. Notably, men in rural areas with lower income levels face significant challenges in finding spouses.
Ding noted, “Last year, the average disposable income per person in rural China was just over 20,000 yuan (US$2,800),” adding, “To solve this issue, we need to bring qualified young women from abroad.”
He mentioned countries such as Russia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Pakistan as potential sources for importing brides, noting that most countries have lower income levels than China.
Ding’s comments sparked significant controversy online. Many women raised concerns, saying, “Importing foreign brides is no different from human trafficking” and “Potential language barriers could lead to conflicts within families.”
On the other hand, some men supported the idea, arguing that “foreign brides do not demand expensive houses, cars, or high dowries.”
In China, the custom of the groom paying a dowry to the bride’s family, known as the bride price, is a long-standing tradition. The amounts range from tens of thousands to millions of yuan. Although the Chinese government has labeled this practice harmful and is working to abolish it, many areas outside major cities still uphold the tradition.
One online commenter compared international marriage to “Tesla entering China’s electric vehicle market,” suggesting that “Allowing foreigners to compete in the Chinese marriage market could increase marriage prospects and birth rates.”
Most Commented