China’s marriages fell 7.5% in the first half of 2026. What does it spell for the economy?

China’s marriage registrations fell 7.5 per cent year on year in the first half of 2026, underscoring the demographic challenges authorities face as they step up efforts to encourage nuptials and childbearing. Nearly 3.28 million couples in China tied the knot between January and June, down 264,000 from the same period last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Wednesday. Divorce registrations also rose 3.9 per cent to 1.38 million. Marriage registrations are...