A recent surge in unusual phone calls to Chinese women regarding family planning has sparked a wave of online debate and criticism across Chinese social media platforms. The calls, reportedly part of a grassroots government campaign aimed at understanding family planning trends, have drawn widespread backlash for their invasive nature, leaving many Chinese women feeling shocked, frustrated, and concerned about privacy.
On the popular social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as “Little Red Book,” one viral post read: “I got a call from a grassroots (worker) this morning, asking if I was pregnant.” The post garnered over 11,000 likes and thousands of comments from other users sharing similar experiences. Many women took to platforms like Xiaohongshu and Weibo to voice their discomfort with what they called intrusive questions about their family planning intentions and pregnancy statuses.
One user, identified by the username Guo Guo, shared a particularly personal experience. Guo Guo, a mother of two, recounted receiving a call from a government worker who asked when she intended to conceive a third child. Although taken aback, she responded that she simply “did not have the time,” citing her demanding job. However, the caller persisted, suggesting she could “get pregnant first” and that her mother or mother-in-law could help care for the children.
The tone of the call and its implications immediately sparked alarm and anger among other women who felt that such questions infringed on personal autonomy. Many on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging platform, questioned the effectiveness and propriety of these “fertility checks.” One user commented, “Things are getting desperate. I can’t see how effective this type of interrogation will be in the long run. How will it contribute to population numbers?” Another user wrote, “This is even weirder than scam calls,” capturing a sentiment shared by many online.
According to an October 28 report by the South China Morning Post, the calls are part of a wider initiative led by local administrative networks. It’s reported that grassroots government workers have been reaching out to women across the country, asking questions about marriage, family planning, and childbirth intentions. The government’s aim is reportedly twofold: to collect up-to-date demographic data and to understand why many women are reluctant to have more children, as part of a national effort to address China’s demographic crisis.
China’s birth rate has been on a steady decline, with new births nearly halving from around 17 million in 2014 to just 9 million in 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. This severe drop in birth rates, coupled with a rapidly aging population, has driven Chinese authorities to prioritize population growth as a national policy issue. Some government measures to address this include calls for improved family benefits, tax incentives for larger families, and increased support for childcare.
The “fertility calls,” though alarming to many, represent just one facet of the government’s aggressive push to revive birth rates. In conjunction with these calls, government agencies have been conducting a survey targeting women of childbearing age, spanning 150 counties across China. The survey seeks to gather insights on women’s perspectives on marriage, fertility, and the key challenges and needs that families face. This data collection effort is spearheaded by China’s Population and Development Research Centre, which hopes to use the information to devise effective policies that address families’ needs and, ideally, improve the country’s fertility rates.
The grassroots nature of these calls has generated considerable skepticism and criticism. Many netizens fear that this method of gathering information is invasive and dismissive of women’s autonomy. On Weibo, the hashtag “fertility call checks” has trended, generating thousands of comments that underline citizens’ mixed reactions to the policy.
Social media users have not only questioned the appropriateness of these calls but have also criticized the government’s approach to addressing China’s declining birth rate. “This is more about control than concern,” commented one Xiaohongshu user, a sentiment echoed by numerous others. Many argued that the government’s approach disregards the actual issues Chinese families face, including the high cost of living, lack of accessible childcare, and career challenges for working women.
Despite the backlash, the Chinese government appears committed to pushing forward with its demographic policies. In a report from Caixin Global, a respected Beijing-based media outlet, it was revealed that local government workers have been tasked with not only gathering information on marriage and childbirth statistics but also with offering residents birth registration services, free pregnancy tests, and other reproductive health services. The data collected is entered into a central monitoring system, which officials believe will provide valuable insights into women’s choices and challenges regarding childbearing.
China’s declining birth rate is the result of a complex interplay of social, economic, and cultural factors that cannot be addressed by policies alone. Urbanization, high living costs, and growing career pressures are primary reasons many young Chinese are delaying or opting out of marriage and family life altogether. For women, in particular, a significant barrier to having more children is the lack of support in balancing family responsibilities with their careers.
To address this crisis, China’s State Council recently outlined steps to “build a new marriage and childbearing culture.” The plan includes fostering societal respect for childbearing, promoting marriage at “the right age,” and encouraging parents to share childcare responsibilities. However, the plan stops short of addressing some fundamental structural issues, including high housing costs, limited support for working mothers, and the cultural expectations that women bear most of the family caregiving responsibilities.
China’s ongoing efforts to reverse its fertility decline echo a broader trend seen in several East Asian countries, including Japan and South Korea. In these nations, the combination of aging populations, low birth rates, and economic challenges has similarly prompted government intervention in family planning. However, China’s approach, especially with these recent “fertility calls,” has drawn criticism for its apparent disregard for personal privacy and autonomy.
As China faces the urgent challenge of declining birth rates, the question remains: can government interventions, however well-intentioned, overcome the social and economic hurdles that deter young Chinese couples from expanding their families?
China’s government seems intent on addressing these issues, but it will need to approach family planning policy with greater sensitivity if it is to avoid backlash. Many Chinese citizens have argued that tackling the core challenges families face—like costly childcare, inaccessible family support systems, and inflexible work policies—would be more effective than pressuring women into bearing more children through unsolicited phone calls.
In the coming months, authorities plan to continue their demographic survey, the results of which are expected to influence family planning policies. Whether this data will lead to meaningful, family-centered policy reforms remains to be seen. However, experts caution that without addressing the underlying economic and societal pressures discouraging young couples from starting families, China’s fertility crisis may continue unabated.
