- Local authorities in China set up marriage counters in hospitals, banks, and nightclubs
- A hospital in Shandong offers on-site marriage registration and premarital health checks
- Tianjin's Postal Savings Bank became the first bank to provide marriage registration services
Local authorities in China are setting up marriage registration counters in unusual places, such as maternity hospitals, banks, and nightclubs, to make the marriage process as quick and accessible as possible, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
The latest addition to this unusual push arrived during the Qixi Festival, when the Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Shandong province's Linzi District announced that couples could now legally tie the knot right on-site.
According to hospital administrators, the setup creates a "one-stop shop" where newlyweds can register their marriage and undergo premarital health checks. They can also receive pre-conception counselling without ever leaving the building.
This hospital initiative follows similar registries established nationwide. According to the report, a branch of the Postal Savings Bank of China in Tianjin last month became the country's first bank to provide marriage registration services.
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Elsewhere, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport began issuing marriage certificates alongside scenic plane-watching perks, while a nightclub in Shanghai teamed up with local civil affairs officials to host certification ceremonies complete with electronic music festival giveaways. Couples can even tie the knot at metro stations, public parks, and historic temples.
The authorities have taken such steps because of a serious demographic crisis. The country faces a steep decline in birth rates and a shrinking workforce, which is why Chinese officials are doing everything possible to encourage young people to form families.
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While simplifying the paperwork sparked a temporary surge in marriages late last year, recent data shows that marriage registrations dropped by another 7.5% in the first half of this year.
The issue also became a topic of discussion on social media. As quoted in the report, one user asked, "Do people not get married because they can't find a place to register?"
"I suggest the civil affairs bureau establish divorce services on top of Mount Everest,” another joked.
“What holds young people back from marriage is not complicated procedures, but the confidence to face the life challenges they may encounter in the coming decades,” a third user shared their perspective, as mentioned in the report.
