The Chinese government has announced that it will no longer send children overseas for adoption, ending a policy that has been in place for over 30 years. This decision comes as China adjusts its cross-border adoption regulations to align with international trends.
Since 1992, over 160,000 Chinese children have been adopted by families worldwide, with approximately 82,000 adoptions taking place in the United States, according to China’s Children International (CCI). The majority of these adopted children were girls, largely due to China’s one-child policy, which favored male offspring.
The new rules allow only for the adoption of a child or stepchild from the same generation within three generations of blood relatives. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mao Ning expressed the government’s appreciation for the “love and kindness” foreign families have shown but confirmed that the broader program of sending children abroad has ended.
The decision leaves the fate of ongoing adoption processes uncertain. The move comes as China faces declining birth rates and tries to encourage more families to have children amidst growing demographic challenges.
