Li: Mother case shows we must cut red tape

The question, "How do you prove your mother is really your mother?" has gone viral on media outlets and social networks after Premier Li Keqiang referred to it as an example of unnecessary bureaucracy.

It is thought that the offbeat question was first aired publicly in an opinion article published by People's Daily on April 8.The article mentioned the problems a Beijing resident surnamed Chen had while filling in a form before a family trip abroad.

Chen wanted to name his mother as the emergency contact during the trip, but an official asked him to provide paperwork to confirm his relationship with her.