China divorces drop 70% after controversial ‘cooling off’ law

The number of divorces has dropped in China after a law was introduced that required couples to wait 30 days before the legal separation could be finalised.

Divorces have decreased by 70% in response to the cooling-off period. China's overall divorce rate has been increasing, and coupled with low birthrates, it has meant that policy makers are having to consider how to encourage people to stay married and have children. Some critics believe that the law has had the opposite effect in what was originally intended, in that it may put some people off from getting married in the first place.

This article could be used for the Families and Households unit (divorce, marriage and demographics).