‘Get pregnant, please’: Chinese officials allegedly pressuring women amid population decline

BEIJING: Chinese government officials are reportedly doing something strange considering the country's rapidly declining population. Officials are calling women in the country and investigating whether they are pregnant. The South China Morning Post reports that those who are not are being forced to become pregnant. This is a strange action by government officials in a country where strict birth control measures have been in place for decades.

Young women in China say that even from the district offices, officials, including women, are calling and asking if they are pregnant. Many argue that callers do not understand the changing mindset of the new generation and that this is an invasion of privacy and freedom of choice.

The current population of China is 2.08 million according to the latest estimates. A total of nine million children was born in China in 2023. This is the lowest rate since 1949. China has been the world's most populous country for years but in 2022, India surpassed China to become the first in terms of population. A low birth rate, an increase in the number of elderly people and rising economic pressures have been cited as reasons for China's declining population. Authorities face huge challenges to address population decline and ease economic stagnation.