Changes in family concept main factor behind lower fertility in China: survey

(ECNS) -- The changes in family concept, which lead to delayed marriage and childbearing or not marrying and not having children, have become the main factor behind the decline in fertility in China, according to the latest survey released by the third China Population and Development Forum held in Beijing on Saturday.

In 2020, the average household size in China fell to 2.62 people, down 0.48 from 2010, demonstrating a more obvious trend toward smaller family sizes.

The survey shows that China's age-appropriate population's first marriage age is constantly being postponed, with the average first marriage age for women rising from 22 years old in the 1980s to 26.3 in 2020, and the first childbearing age postponed to 27.2.

The fertility intention of women of childbearing age continues to decline, with an average of 1.64 children planned in 2021, lower than 1.76 in 2017 and 1.73 in 2019, while the number of "post-90s" and "post-00s" generations, who are the main fertility groups, are only 1.54 and 1.48, respectively.

The number of existing children among women has dropped from 1.63 in 2019 to 1.19 in 2022. Lifetime childlessness among Chinese women is rapidly increasing, from 6.1 percent in 2015 to almost 10 percent in 2020, according to the survey.

"The 2021 survey by the China Population and Development Research Center showed that among women under 35 years old, only less than 70 percent think that having children makes life complete," Wang Pei'an, Party secretary and executive vice president of China Family Planning Association, told the forum.

"The family should be viewed as the basic unit of public policy, and the orientation of protecting marriage and family and encouraging family members to reunite should be fully reflected in the creation of policies in urbanization, household registration reform, employment, medical care, elderly care, social security, housing, and taxation," he said.

"With currently low maternity benefits, if there is no guidance from the concept of marriage and childbearing, improving fertility will be extremely difficult," he noted.

The third China Population and Development Forum was hosted by the China Family Planning Association, Committee of Population, Resources and Environment of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and China Population and Development Research Center.