Divorce rates in China spike after quarantines end

The China Project illustration by Derek Zheng

Large numbers of couples across China are filing for divorce after spending weeks at home together during self-isolation. The northwestern city of Xi’an reported a record-high number of divorce requests since the local marriage registries reopened on March 1, while Dazhou, in southwestern Sichuan Province, also witnessed an uptick in divorce applications (in Chinese).

The news was unsurprising to many: “When couples spend day and night together, it’s hard to gloss over or hide marriage problems,” said (in Chinese) one popular internet comment. “This news didn’t strike me as a surprise.”

Other facts about divorce in China: 

• Women now initiate over 70 percent of divorces
• Marriage rates have been falling for several years
• Some local governments are experimenting with “divorce tests” and other methods to reduce divorce