Childless Rate of Women in China Soars | Why Don’t Young People Get Married or Have Children?

According to a survey released at the 3rd China Population and Development Forum held in Beijing on February 11, China is currently experiencing a change in population, with a low fertility rate and a clear decreasing trend in family size. In particular, the childless rate has been rising rapidly in recent years, from 6.1% in 2015 to nearly 10% in 2020, triggering public debate and once again becoming the trending topic on Chinese social media Weibo. The concept of marriage and childbirth is changing among the younger generation. The average age of when women first marry has continued to rise from 22 years old in the 1980s to 26.3 years old in 2020, and the age of first childbirth has increased to 27.2 years old. The willingness of women to bear children continues to decline. However, for those born after the 1990s and in the post-2000 era, who comprise the primary childbearing population, the average number of planned children is lower, at 1.54 and 1.48, respectively. During the three years since the coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese authorities have implemented a strict zero-COVID policy, which has affected the views of many new generations on marriage and childbearing. Many young people choose to lie low, stop having children, and become the "last generation."