Abandoned Chinese baby adopted by Swedish couple makes emotional return decades later

A woman from eastern China, abandoned at birth, has returned with her Swedish adoptive parents to reunite with her birth family after 23 years.Known as Lisa in media reports, she was born in Huaiyuan county, Anhui province. Mainland media reported that a midwife took her away shortly after her birth in 2003, with her impoverished parents’ consent, after assuring them they could not afford to raise her.However, four days later, the midwife abandoned the baby outside a stadium in another city. The girl was discovered suffering from an inguinal hernia.Local police placed her in a children’s welfare home, where she was given the name Gao Jianquan, a homophone of a phrase meaning “in good health.”Gao, seen here as a little girl, was placed in a children’s welfare home and given the name Gao Jianquan, which means “in good health.” Photo: QQ.comIt remains unclear whether the midwife was ever held accountable for her actions.Informal adoptions were once prevalent among impoverished families in China, often driven by financial hardship or a preference for sons.Although such arrangements bypassed official procedures, legal experts have stated that they may not qualify as human trafficking in the absence of a financial transaction, nor abandonment if the child experienced no psychological harm.Adopted by a Swedish couple at the age of one, Gao grew up in Sweden. She shared a close bond with her adoptive parents, who spoke openly about her origins, encouraged meaningful conversations, and fully supported her quest to find her birth family.In March, Gao registered with Baby Come Home, a Chinese non-profit organisation that facilitates family reunions. DNA testing led to the identification of her biological relatives just two months later.On July 25, Gao returned to Huaiyuan with her Swedish adoptive parents and met her birth family for the first time in 23 years.Her biological parents welcomed her with a bilingual banner reading: “The most beautiful road in the world is the road home.”Gao’s adoptive parents, who accompanied her on the trip, have been praised for their selfless support and open-mindedness. Photo: QQ.comAfter days of studying Chinese, Gao tearfully expressed to her birth mother in Chinese: “Mum, I love you. I’m so happy to see you.”Further ReadingHer mother gifted her a jade necklace and dressed her in a red qipao, while the family prepared gifts, including Chinese tea, for her Swedish adoptive parents and their relatives.Gao, who has three biological siblings, plans to return to Sweden to continue her master’s studies.The emotional reunion drew mixed reactions on mainland social media, with some questioning Gao’s decision to seek out the parents who once relinquished her.Gao responded that she had made peace with her past.“Home will always be home,” she told Daxiang News. “You need to know where you come from and where your roots are.”Little Gao, pictured above, enjoying time at home. In 2024, China halted most international adoptions, allowing them only in limited cases involving blood relatives. Photo: QQ.comOne online observer remarked that Gao’s loving upbringing had helped her move forward without resentment. “She is fortunate to have such selfless adoptive parents,” the person wrote.“Gao has left the past behind and now has two loving homes – one in China and one in Sweden,” another added.China halted almost all international adoptions in 2024, permitting them only in limited cases involving blood relatives.Since formal procedures were implemented in the early 1990s, tens of thousands of Chinese orphans and abandoned children have been adopted overseas.Furthermore, the country has long grappled with issues of human trafficking. Official data revealed that cases involving trafficked women and children fell by nearly 78 per cent in 2025 from their 2012 peak, although many children abducted years ago remain missing.