The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh warned its citizens to avoid illegal cross-border marriages and fake online matchmaking schemes. The embassy strongly advised people not to fall for the idea of "buying a foreign wife". This warning came after many reports about women being trafficked from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar to China.

This problem is linked to a big issue in China called shengnan shidai, or "the age of leftover men". In China, there are many more men than women of marriage age. This is mainly because of sex-selective abortions in the 1980s, which led to more boys being born than girls. The imbalance is even worse in rural areas of China.

Experts say that between 2020 and 2050, about 30 to 50 million Chinese men may never get married. To solve this problem, some politicians have even suggested lowering the marriage age for women to increase the number of potential brides.

Rise in bride trafficking from neighboring countries

Because of this shortage of women, the demand for brides in China, especially in rural parts, has increased. This has led to many illegal marriages. According to Lund University researcher Ming Gao, "The growing demand for these brides, particularly in rural areas, has fuelled a rise in illegal marriages. This includes marriages involving children and women who have been trafficked into China, primarily from neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia."

Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar have become targets for human traffickers. Many women from poor rural communities in these countries are tricked by traffickers who promise them jobs or a better life in China. However, once these women reach China, their documents are taken, their freedom is limited, and many are "sold" to Chinese men for thousands of dollars.

Many of these women are taken to faraway rural villages where they are kept locked up, forced into marriage, and pressured to have children quickly. Human Rights Watch has reported many such cases, especially from Myanmar's conflict areas like Kachin and northern Shan states. Women told horrifying stories of being locked up, sexually abused, and forced to bear children.

Chinese men, mostly farmers and labourers, are also tricked by traffickers who sell the idea of cheap "foreign wives" through expensive matchmaking services and "marriage tours". These men are often lonely and afraid of being left unmarried in a society that values marriage as a sign of manhood.

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