SINGAPORE/BEIJING — When bank clerk Ren Yingxiao was looking for a honeymoon destination with her partner, they came across a scenic spot in the Xinjiang region that had it all — including a marriage registration office.

"So we thought, why not go there and get our marriage certificate as well?" the 30-year-old said about secluded Sayram Lake, where authorities are trying to attract young Chinese to tie the knot as part of a nationwide push to boost marriage rates and ease the country's demographic crisis.