China recorded a 20 percent decline in marriage registrations in 2024, while the number of divorces slightly increased, according to recent figures unveiled by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The ministry's figure shows that in 2024, the number of registered marriages was about 6.1 million, falling by 20.5 percent from that in 2023, which was 7.68 million. The number of registered divorces, however, increased by 1.1 percent year-on-year to 2.62 million in 2024.

READ MORE: China records fall in marriage, divorce rates

The nation's registered marriages had seen a downward trend from 2014, with numbers falling to 6.84 million in 2022 before noting a brief rise in 2023 to 7.68 million.