China hospital joins nightclubs in offering marriage services to fight low wedding rates

China hospital joins nightclubs in offering marriage services to fight low wedding rates Many call the new convenient set-ups ‘futile,’ pointing out that lack of registry offices isn’t what’s keeping people from getting married Following temples and nightclubs, a Chinese bank and a hospital have recently begun offering marriage registration services, igniting discussions on the Chinese government’s commitment to promoting nuptials. In August, a branch of the Postal Savings Bank of China, located in the northern municipality of Tianjin, became the country’s first bank to provide marriage registration services. While online observers mocked the unusual pairing of finance and romance – joking that only nuptials at a hospital could surpass this combination – their humour soon became reality. On August 20, during this year’s Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Linzi District in Zibo City, Shandong province in eastern China, announced the introduction of marriage registration services at its facility. The hospital claims that this service simplifies the lives of newlyweds by streamlining their marriage registration, premarital examinations, and preconception guidance all in one place. Netizens chimed in, suggesting that law firms, police offices, universities, and airports should also offer marriage registration services to “make life easier for people.”