Tightening the Knot

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China unveiled a draft amendment that would make marriage easier and divorce harder, as the government seeks to build a “family-friendly society” to tackle declining birth rates, NBC News reported.

Last month, the Ministry of Civil Affairs unveiled the changes, saying they seek to promote “happy and harmonious families.” Officials added that the amendment is open for public feedback until Sep. 11.

Under the new rules, couples hoping to get married will not need to register their household locations – but need only use their ID cards. The changes would cut through the red tape around the marriage registration process, considering that many people no longer reside in their registered locations.

However, divorces would have a mandatory 30-day “cooling-off period,” which will allow either party to terminate the process, as well as reduce impulsive divorces.

The changes raised eyebrows on Chinese social media, prompting many netizens to criticize the new process as an overreach by the government.

Critics noted that the amendment could prolong unhappy marriages and limit personal freedom. Others warned that the policy might further disadvantage women in divorce cases, especially given existing challenges in securing favorable rulings and the trivialization of domestic violence by courts, the South China Morning Post wrote.

Chinese officials countered that the changes would not impede the right to divorce.

Observers explained that the draft legislation is part of the government’s effort to reverse China’s demographic crisis which is characterized by a shrinking and rapidly aging population. Government data showed that only 3.43 million couples married in the first half of this year, a 12-percent decrease from the previous year and the lowest number in a decade.

Authorities have introduced a series of incentives for couples to boost birth rates, including cheaper housing, tax cuts and even allowing them to have as many as three children – a reversal of the infamous one-child policy it introduced in 1980.

This year, China launched its first four-year university degree program focused entirely on matrimony, featuring courses in wedding planning, matchmaking services, and marriage counseling.

Still, He Yafu, an independent demographer, cautioned that the new measures might repel young people from getting married, many of whom are increasingly seeing marriage as a less desirable life choice.

Many young Chinese are delaying or putting off marriage as they face uncertainty amid high living costs, a tough job market and increasing work pressures. Others see marriage as an outdated institution with limited benefits.