China is currently facing a major demographic challenge, with nearly 35 million so-called "leftover men" – a consequence of the country’s longstanding one-child policy.
This imbalance in gender ratios has drawn attention after Ding Changfa, an associate professor from Xiamen University, proposed international marriages as a possible solution. His suggestion has ignited considerable debate and online backlash, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The origins of this issue lie in the one-child policy, which, according to the 2020 Seventh National Population Census, has led to around 34.9 million more men than women. The Institute for China Rural Studies at Central China Normal University recently highlighted the struggles of rural men in finding spouses, with high bride prices and a declining emphasis on traditional marriage seen as contributing factors.
Ding’s proposal suggests encouraging men to seek partners from countries such as Russia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Pakistan. He pointed out, "In rural China, we have approximately 34.9 million ‘leftover men’ who face the pressures of providing housing, cars, and bride prices ranging between 500,000 and 600,000 yuan (US$70,000 and US$84,000)."
"Solving this issue could involve attracting a significant number of eligible young women from overseas," he argued.
This trend of international matchmaking is already gaining traction. Some matchmakers on Douyin have begun offering services that link Chinese men with Russian women, capitalizing on Russia’s female population surplus. Finance influencer Jingongzi, who has over 1.8 million Douyin followers, explained, “Southeast Asia has maintained close ties with China since ancient times, and culturally, we share many similarities. For instance, Vietnam celebrates the Lunar New Year, so women from Southeast Asia generally do not face significant cultural shocks upon coming to China.”
