BEIJING — China recorded 1.97 million marriage registrations in the first quarter of 2024, a drop of 178,000 from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

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The number of divorce registrations decreased by 68,000 year-on-year to 573,000 in the first quarter, figures recently released by the ministry also revealed.

The first quarter of the year usually sees more marriages taking place due to the Chinese New Year and other seasonal factors.