China's marriage rate has been declining for five years in a row as the younger generation delays or has given up on marriage.

[Photo: IC]

The marriage rate dropped from 9.9 per 1,000 people in 2013 to a five-year low of 7.2 per 1,000 people in 2018, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The figures vary in different regions. The more developed regions have lower rates of marriage, data showed.

Tying the knot is no longer a "necessity" for today's young adults, with quite a few preferring the single life.

"I'd prefer a high-quality single life to a low-quality marriage" is often heard from the younger generation these days.

The increasing costs of living and children's education constitute another factor for the downward trend in the marriage rate, experts said.