China’s 35 million ‘leftover men’ spark foreign brides idea to tackle gender imbalance

A controversial suggestion by a professor from a prestigious university in China to promote international marriages as a solution for the 35 million so-called leftover men in the country has sparked debate and outrage online.

The demographic challenge stems from decades of the one-child policy, which skewed gender ratios and led to a surplus of 34.9 million men over women, according to China’s Seventh National Population Census in 2020.

A report earlier this year from Institute for China Rural Studies at Central China Normal University detailed the increasing difficulties faced by rural young men in finding spouses over the past decade.

The report identified high bride prices and a declining recognition of traditional marriage as primary reasons.

Ding Changfa, an associate professor from the School of Economics at Xiamen University has recommended facilitating international marriages and the importation of foreign brides.