05.03.2025 16:51
In China, one of the most populous countries in the world, the government is taking a series of measures to stop the decline in population. In addition to providing assistance per child, it is also encouraging young people to marry. However, it is exerting pressure on employees who work in the private sector and are single to get married through company management.
The decline in birth rates has alarmed the Chinese government. While various campaigns are being conducted nationwide, private companies are also pressuring their employees to get married in direct proportion to the pressure from the government.
MARRY OR QUIT YOUR JOB
The latest of these pressures occurred at a chemical company called Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group. In a general warning letter sent from the management, single employees were asked to either get married or quit their jobs. It was stated that single staff members must start a family by September 30, and "if you cannot get married and start a family within three quarters, the company will terminate your employment contract."
According to the internal note, the ideal worker for the Chinese chemical producer should be hardworking, virtuous, and loyal, and perhaps most importantly, willing to have children for the good of the country. The notification from the chemical company, which started circulating online, targets unmarried employees aged between 28 and 58, including divorced workers.
A leading supermarket chain in the country has also asked its staff not to request engagement gifts to reduce the costs of weddings.
MARRIAGE NUMBERS IN CHINA HAVE DROPPED
Last year, 6.1 million Chinese couples got married. This is a 20% decrease compared to the previous year. China's population has been declining for three consecutive years. Authorities are trying to reverse these trends. Officials are visiting women at home to ask if they plan to get pregnant; they are publishing propaganda claiming that pregnancy will make women smarter, and calling for the creation of a "fertility-friendly social atmosphere," including in workplaces. Some companies seem eager to comply with this.