Woman Adopted By Swedish Couple Reunites With Chinese Birth Family After 23 Years

A heartwarming family reunion took place in eastern China's Anhui province when a 23-year-old woman met her biological parents for the first time since infancy on July 25, 2026, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The emotional story went viral across Chinese social media platforms. Born in 2003 in Huaiyuan county, the woman named Lisa, who is known in China as Gao Jianquan, was handed over shortly after birth to a midwife by her parents, who believed they could not afford to raise her. Four days later, the midwife abandoned the newborn near a sports stadium in another city.

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Local authorities found the infant suffering from an inguinal hernia and transferred her to a children's welfare home. Staff named her Gao Jianquan, meaning "in good health," before a Swedish couple officially adopted her at one year old.

Lisa grew up in Sweden, and her adoptive parents were always open about her background and fully supported her desire to locate her birth family.

In March 2026, Lisa registered with Baby Come Home, a Chinese non-profit organisation helping families find missing relatives. And around two months later, DNA testing successfully matched her with her biological family.

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Lisa travelled to Anhui alongside her Swedish parents. Her birth family welcomed her with a banner reading: "The most beautiful road in the world is the road home."

As per the report, her biological mother gifted her a traditional jade necklace and a red qipao. After practising Chinese for days before the trip, Lisa embraced her mother and said tearfully, "Mum, I love you. I'm so happy to see you."

Reflecting on her journey, Lisa shared that she feels at peace with her past and wanted to discover her roots.

Online users praised the emotional reunion. "She is fortunate to have such selfless adoptive parents," the person wrote as quoted. "Gao has left the past behind and now has two loving homes - one in China and one in Sweden," another added.