Shifting Birth Policies in China

China is currently facing a demographic crisis, prompting authorities to implement unconventional methods to encourage higher birth rates among its population. The average birth rate has fallen to 1.1 children per woman, significantly below the 2.1 needed for population stability. A notable tactic includes invasive phone calls from local officials asking women about their reproductive plans, aiming to change societal perspectives on family and childbearing. This drastic policy shift, moving from strictly enforcing the one-child policy to promoting a two-to-three-child norm, reflects the government's urgency in addressing its plummeting birth rates.