A growing crisis is unfolding in China as a severe gender imbalance, largely attributed to the nation’s former one-child policy and a cultural preference for sons, leaves a generation of young men struggling to find partners. This demographic tilt has spurred a concerning trend: desperate Chinese bachelors are now increasingly resorting to seeking wives from abroad, with reports of human trafficking emerging from neighboring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The situation has become so alarming that the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh recently issued a stern warning to its citizens, urging them to exercise extreme caution before marrying in Bangladesh and to abandon the “dream of buying a foreign wife.” This unprecedented advisory highlights the scale of the problem and the diplomatic challenges it presents.

The embassy’s advisory, as reported by China’s state media Global Times, specifically cautions Chinese nationals against falling prey to misleading cross-border dating content on short video platforms and warns against using matchmaking agencies for foreign spouses, as such practices are strictly prohibited under Chinese law. The law explicitly disallows any marriage agency from facilitating cross-border marriages, underscoring Beijing’s efforts to curb this illicit trend. The increasing number of single Chinese men looking for wives abroad is a direct consequence of decades of skewed demographics, where the male population has significantly outpaced the female population. This societal shift is now forcing many young Chinese men to look beyond their borders for a life partner, leading to a complex web of social, ethical, and legal issues. Reports suggest that organized gangs are actively involved in trafficking Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Myanmar girls for marriage to Chinese citizens, further complicating the issue and raising significant human rights concerns.