The Voice News:The Chinese embassy in Dhaka has cautioned its citizens against seeking foreign brides in Bangladesh, warning of online marriage scams and human trafficking rings. In a statement issued Sunday, the embassy urged Chinese nationals not to be misled by social media ads promoting fast-track international marriages.
Chinese law prohibits marriage agencies from offering cross-border matchmaking services. Citizens found involved in such activities, especially for profit, risk legal action. The embassy emphasized the dangers of online romance scams and illegal matchmaking, advising citizens to avoid financial and personal losses.
This warning comes as China grapples with a significant gender imbalance — about 35 million men face challenges finding spouses due to the long-standing one-child policy, which historically favored male children.
Desperate to marry, many so-called “leftover men” (shengnan) have turned to countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, reportedly fueling human trafficking networks. Criminal gangs are accused of luring and smuggling women and girls from these regions to China under the guise of marriage, with Bangladeshi women among the victims, as reported by The Daily Star.
The embassy also noted that those involved in illegal cross-border marriages in Bangladesh could face arrest for suspected trafficking.
Ding Changfa, an economics professor at Xiamen University, sparked controversy by suggesting that Chinese men consider marrying foreign women to ease the marriage crisis. He cited financial pressure in rural China, where men often struggle to afford housing and dowries, as a driving factor.
Human Rights Watch has previously warned that weak law enforcement and porous borders allow trafficking networks to thrive, particularly in cases involving Pakistani Christian girls being coerced into marrying Chinese men.
China is also experiencing a broader decline in marriage rates, with 6.1 million registrations in 2024 compared to 7.7 million in 2023, attributed to economic pressures and changing gender norms.