Chinese Advisor Suggests Lowering Marriage Age to 18 to Boost Fertility

A Chinese national political advisor, Chen Songxi, has proposed lowering the legal marriage age to 18 in China. This recommendation aims to address the country's declining population and "unleash reproductive potential." Chen plans to submit a proposal to completely relax childbirth restrictions and establish an "incentive system" for marriage and childbirth. Currently, the legal marriage age in China is 22 for men and 20 for women, higher than in most developed countries. China's population has fallen for three consecutive years, with marriages plummeting despite efforts to encourage young couples to marry and have children. Chen suggests removing restrictions on the number of children a family can have to meet the "urgent needs of population development."