There’s a new China Daily article out about the upcoming wife shortage that threatens this generation of Chinese men. ‘Wife shortage’ to hit nation in 2020s claims that there are now 37 million excess males in China, and that in 2005 19% more boys were born than girls. In some provinces, like southern Guangdong or Hainan there are as many as 38% excess males. Tian Xueyuan, deputy director of the China Population Society, is quoted:

Currently, the problem does not seem to be very serious, but if it remains unchecked, when they reach the marriage age, problems will occur.

This population imbalance could have a number of outlets, including but not limited to:

• Immigration: China may start losing young, single men to other countries with available women.
• Revolution: Young single men unhappy with society and with too much free time on their hands might want to change the government. Don’t forget, 20% of a generation of Chinese males is a lot of young men.
• Crime: Depressed single men could be more likely to become career criminals. “A woman’s touch” isn’t a myth; the presence of women stabilize male behaviour.
• Productivity: I’m not sure that men are more suited than women for any particular job, but the reason there are more men is attributed to a Chinese desire for them, founded in a belief that men are more useful. Perhaps in a Chinese agricultural context these men will help improve the country’s productivity.

The solution is clearly for the young generation to move to NYC, where there can be found the highest concentration of desperate, single women in America. There, our two countries can solve their matchmaking problems together.