A Chinese company that had issued a controversial ultimatum requiring all single and divorced employees to marry by September 2025 or face termination has now reversed its decision following public outcry.
Shuntian Chemical Group, based in Shandong province, sparked criticism after circulating a notice last week emphasizing values such as “diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness.”
The company stated that employees should uphold these values in their personal lives, arguing that marriage and family life were essential to fulfilling them.
Strict Marriage Mandate
The notice reportedly ordered all unmarried and divorced employees aged 28 to 58 to “get married and settle down” by September 30, 2025.
Employees unable to meet this deadline were required to:
- Write a self-criticism letter if they remained unmarried by March 2025.
- Undergo an evaluation in June 2025.
- Face termination if still single by September 2025.
“Not responding to the government’s call to improve the marriage rate is disloyal. Not listening to your parents is not filial. Letting yourself be single is not benevolent. Failing your colleagues’ expectations is unjust,” the notice read, according to a South China Morning Post translation.
Immediate Backlash and Policy Reversal
After widespread criticism, local media reported that senior management initially defended the policy as an internal company decision meant to encourage older employees to marry.
However, on February 13, the local human resources and social security bureau intervened, highlighting that the policy violated China’s labor laws. The company subsequently rescinded the directive the following day.
Declining Birth Rates in China
China has been grappling with a declining birthrate since implementing its one-child policy in the 1980s. The country’s total population dropped for the third consecutive year in 2024, and India surpassed China as the world’s most populous country in April 2023.
