Although the number of marriages in Asia showed a seeming uptick after COVID, Professor Stuart Gietel-Basten pointed out that the broader marriage downtrend remains, the uptick only reflected an accelerated decline during the pandemic, and the birth rate still declines despite the increase in the number of marriages due to the simultaneous trend of having fewer or no children. He said, instead of rejecting marriage, the reason for decline of marriage is the rejection of marriage package (social expectations around caring for in-laws, loss of freedom and autonomy, high cost of child-bearing), the effect of downward demographic shift is very hard to reverse, and governments must learn to adapt.