China's Bold Move: Officials Ask Women About Pregnancy!

China's population policies have taken a curious turn, and the government’s latest tactic is as surprising as it is direct—asking women if they’re pregnant, almost like checking in on a weather update. As the birth rate continues to plummet, authorities are getting creative in their efforts to encourage citizens to expand their families. It’s as if the solution to China’s population crisis is just a polite phone call away.

Recently, a story from the *China Morning Post* detailed an unusual incident involving Jane Huang, a 35-year-old from Fujian province. She received a phone call from a lower-level government official, who casually inquired about her personal details and then suggested, quite matter-of-factly, that she should consider having children. This isn’t an isolated incident, either. A viral post on the country’s social media platform, Jiahongshu, revealed that others have received similar calls, sparking a wave of conversation online about these unexpected baby-making suggestions.

China’s population has been on a downward slope for the second consecutive year, now hovering around 1.4 billion. With a significant drop of nearly two million births last year and projections for only 9 million births this year, the country is seeing its elderly population grow at an alarming rate. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2050, 500 million people—roughly one-third of China’s population—will be over the age of 60. The country’s demographic shift has already forced thousands of schools to close, many of which are being converted into care centers for the elderly.

While the government’s attempts to encourage childbirth might seem like a direct approach, one has to wonder if next they’ll be offering “Buy one, get one free” baby bonuses. Perhaps if they sweeten the deal with a free stroller, more citizens will take them up on that rather personal phone call!