China adviser pushes to lower legal marriage age to 18 to boost birthrate

A political advisor from China has suggested reducing the legal marriage age to 18 to enhance fertility rates amid a shrinking population and “unlock reproductive capabilities,” a state-supported publication reported on Tuesday. Chen Songxi, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), informed the Global Times that he intends to present a proposal aimed at fully lifting restrictions on childbirth in China and creating an “incentive system” for marriage and childbearing.

Chen’s remarks come before China’s yearly parliamentary session next week, during which officials are anticipated to reveal strategies to counteract the nation’s decreasing population. In China, the legal marriage age is 22 for males and 20 for females, which is among the highest globally, as opposed to most developed nations where it is 18. Chen stated that the legal marriage age in China ought to be decreased to 18 “to boost the fertility population base and unlock reproductive capability.”

According to Chen, it should align with global standards. In 2024, China’s population decreased for the third straight year, with marriages declining by 20%, marking the largest decrease ever, even though officials have tried to motivate young couples to marry and start families.

A significant portion of China’s demographic decline is due to the one-child policy implemented from 1980 to 2015. Since 2021, couples have been permitted to have a maximum of three children.

Chen stated that China needs to eliminate limits on the number of children per family to address the “urgent demands of population growth in the new era.” Nevertheless, an increasing number of individuals are choosing to forgo parenthood, deterred by the expensive childcare costs or a reluctance to marry or pause their careers. Officials have attempted to implement incentives and initiatives to encourage childbirth, including lengthening maternity leave, offering financial and tax advantages for having kids, along with providing housing assistance.

However, a significant Chinese think tank reported last year that China ranks among the most costly places globally to raise a child, when factoring in its GDP per capita, highlighting the time and opportunity costs for women who have children. The CPPCC, primarily a ceremonial advisory group, convenes alongside parliament. It consists of business leaders, artists, monks, non-communists, and various other members of the wider community, yet it holds no legislative authority.