China suspends adoptions of foreign children after three decades. Here’s why – India TV

Beijing:China has decided not to send any more children abroad for adoption, reversing a three-decade-old rule that stems from its once strict one-child policy. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the Chinese government had adjusted its cross-border adoption policy to “be in line” with current international trends.

More than 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted by families around the world since 1992, when China first opened its doors to international adoption. About 82,000 of these children, mostly girls, have been adopted in the United States, according to Children International (CCI) of China.

“Except for the adoption of a child or stepchild of blood relatives of the same generation who are within three generations of foreigners coming to China to adopt, China will not send children abroad for adoption,” Mao said. “We express our gratitude to foreign governments and families who wish to adopt Chinese children for their good intentions and the love and kindness they have shown.”

Why is China stopping foreign adoptions?

The rule change comes as Chinese authorities struggle to encourage young couples to marry and have children after the population shrank for two consecutive years. China has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and has been trying to encourage young women to have children.

However, most young Chinese have been reluctant to have children due to the high cost of childcare, tensions over job security and their future prospects as growth in the world’s second-largest economy has slowed. A similar trend has been seen in neighbouring countries such as Japan and South Korea.

China’s decision to suspend international adoptions also follows a decision by the Netherlands in May to ban its citizens from adopting children from foreign countries. In Denmark, people will no longer be able to adopt children from abroad after the only adoption agency announced it was suspending operations.

China implemented a strict one-child policy from 1979 to 2015 to reduce its population. When families were limited to having just one child, many chose to keep sons, who are traditionally expected to be the primary caregivers for their families, and give up girls for adoption.

US concerned about China’s decision

The US has asked for clarification on how the decision will affect hundreds of American families with pending applications, according to The Guardian. It was not immediately clear what would happen to families who are in the process of adopting children from China.

In letters sent to some adoption agencies on Wednesday and shared on social media, the U.S. State Department said it had been informed by Chinese authorities that all other pending adoptions had been cancelled, except for those with travel authorizations already issued. “We understand that there are hundreds of families still waiting to complete their adoption and we sympathize with their plight,” the department said.

In a call with U.S. diplomats in China, Beijing said it “will not continue to process cases at any stage” other than those covered by an exception clause. A U.S. consulate issued 16 visas for adoptions from China between October 2022 and September 2023, the first in more than two years, according to the State Department report.

(with contributions from Reuters)

READ ALSO | Putin says India, China and Brazil could mediate peace talks over Ukraine conflict | VIDEO