The China Mail - Beijing simplifies marriages to encourage Chinese to wed

Couples having children outside of marriage is rare in China, where there is social stigma and fewer protections for such families.

Measures have already been taken to tackle the decline in couples tying the knot and having children, such as cash incentives and pledges to build more childcare infrastructure.

The latest step allows people to register their marriage where they live, state broadcaster CCTV reported Saturday citing a government document.

"This reform is aimed at addressing the needs of people who live or work away from their registered hometowns, particularly younger generations," state news agency Xinhua reported.

Until now, couples have had to travel to wherever the bride or groom is named in the civil registry, which has created travel and financial burdens.

For example, a couple living in Beijing in the country's north, would not have been able to register their marriage in the capital if they came from different parts of the country.

"To better respond to public expectations and based on the success of pilot projects, the registration of marriages in the whole country will be implemented," CCTV announced.

As China faces an uncertain economic outlook, the country saw marriages decline by one-fifth last year and experienced a third consecutive year of overall population decline.

In a further step to address the issue, the Ministry of Civil Affairs will promote the "fight against certain harmful customs such as high 'bride prices' and wasteful expenses for weddings", according to CCTV.

The "bride price" is usually cash offered by the groom's family to his future wife.

It is often seen as a mark of respect towards in-laws and a contribution to a young couple's life together.

But the cost can sometimes be prohibitively high and create financial pressure on the groom's family, as well as increasing social inequality.

Among the numerous reasons young Chinese hesitate to wed and have children is a shortage of savings to buy an apartment, a step which usually comes before marriage.

Education fees are also a key factor, whether daycare costs or private tuition that is seen as almost essential for a child's academic success.

O.Yip--ThChM