Part 4/9:
This severe decline in marriages has had direct repercussions on birth rates, as marriage is typically the prelude to starting a family. The link between marriage and childbirth becomes glaringly apparent when considering that the birth rate is intrinsically tied to the number of couples forming families.
Notably, just as marriage statistics have declined, birth rates followed suit. In 2016, China's birth rate peaked at 18.03 million newborns, paralleling the marriage high in 2013. Fast forward to 2023, and the birth rate has been slashed by half, dropping to 9.02 million. The anticipated birth figures for upcoming years paint an even grimmer picture, with projections potentially lowering to 8 million by 2025 and 7 million by 2026.