It's all in how you express love as hundreds rush to exchange vows on special day

Some 230 couples are expected to tie the knot on Saturday. It is because 520 [or May 20] sounds like "I love you" in Putonghua.

Last year, about 400 couples married on May 20, while there were some 200 on the same day in 2021 during the peak of Covid.

Mainland reports said marriage registry offices across China will extend their operating hours this weekend.

According to the Immigration Department, 68 applications were received from new couples who intend to wed at marriage registries.

To ensure smooth operation and solemnization of the marriage ceremonies, the department officer said "sufficient manpower resources will be deployed to marriage registries."

The department also said marrying parties may choose to celebrate their partnership by the Civil Celebrant of Marriages at any time and any place in Hong Kong apart from tying the knot at the marriage registries or licensed place of worship.

Some 152 couples prefer to get married by a civil celebrant, while 12 couples applied to do it at a licensed places of worship.

But there are concerns only a small number of all those couples will have babies amid a trend that sees youngsters preferring to raise pets over children.

According to the State of World Population Report 2023 released last month by the United Nations Population Fund, Hong Kong's fertility rate ranked the lowest in the world, with each woman giving birth to only 0.8 children.

The trend analysis of Hong Kong from 1991 to 2021 by the Census and Statistics Department published in February cited late marriage, women turning to celibacy, and the rising divorce rate as the reasons for the low fertility rate. Some young couples said the cost of raising a child and the city's competitive culture - which begins at toddler levels - have caused emotional stress and financial burden. So many are opting to raise pets rather than babies.

DAB lawmaker Nixie Lam Lam, who is 32 weeks pregnant, said the government should put more effort into helping women reproduce. An example of the problem, she added, is it takes too long for women to get fertility treatments in the public health system.

She said the high cost of artificial insemination is unaffordable for many young people and urged the government to provide more support for women, including extending the term of egg storage to 30 years from 10.

Lam said many grassroots women cannot undergo a prenatal screening even if they know they are pregnant, adding that the government could provide relevant clinical support.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com