Building a more inclusive society for singles

Editor's note: The singles' population on the Chinese mainland had reached 240 million by 2016, and it is projected to reach 400 million in the future, with "leftover women", especially in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, drawing increasingly more public attention. What has led to this demographic change? And how should Chinese authorities respond to the boom in the singles' population? Two experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Liu Jianna. Excerpts follow:

Singles pose no problem to development

Several factors may have contributed to the vast increase in the singles' population. To begin with, people on average are getting married at a much later age. In particular, women are delaying their marriage by opting for higher education which could take up to 10 years. Women in Shanghai generally entered their first marriage at the age of 28.4 years in 2015, 5.4 years later than in 2005, according to a report recently released by Shanghai Women's Federation.