China has announced the termination of its international adoption program, raising concerns among US officials, who are seeking clarification regarding the impact on hundreds of American families with pending applications.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning confirmed that intercountry adoptions of Chinese children would no longer be allowed, except for cases involving the adoption of a blood relative or stepchild. Mao did not provide a detailed explanation but noted that the decision aligns with international conventions. She also expressed gratitude to foreign governments and families for their goodwill, compassion, and kindness toward Chinese children.
According to letters shared on social media, the US State Department stated that Chinese authorities had informed adoption agencies on Wednesday that all pending adoptions, except those with already issued travel authorizations, were canceled. Beijing told US diplomats that it would cease processing any adoption cases that do not meet the exception criteria. The US embassy is seeking further clarification in writing from China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs.
“We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoption, and we sympathise with their situation,” the State Department said.
Over the years, numerous people have adopted children from China, traveling to the country to bring them home. However, long delays in the process meant that many approved couples waited years—sometimes nearly a decade—to receive their child.
US families have adopted 82,674 children from China, more than from any other country.
Intercountry adoptions had mostly been on hold since 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. Additionally, changes in China’s political, demographic, and economic landscape had led many in the adoption sector to anticipate the policy's end or a significant tightening.
According to the US State Department's latest annual adoption report, China had resumed adoptions for children with travel authorizations approved before the suspension, though the numbers were limited. From October 2022 to September 2023, a US consulate issued just 16 visas for adoptions from China, the first in over two years. It remains unclear if any additional visas have been granted since then.
In January, Denmark’s sole overseas adoption agency announced its closure following concerns over falsified documents and procedures. Similarly, Norway’s top regulatory body recommended halting overseas adoptions for two years to investigate multiple cases.
Reactions on social media from adoptive parents, prospective adopters, and adoptees were mixed. Some feared the policy change might block access to adoptees' former orphanages or birth families. Others believed the move was "long overdue," expressing hope that children would be better cared for within their home country.
The Nanchang Project, a US-based organization that helps Chinese adoptees and their adoptive families reconnect with biological relatives, described the recent announcement as “the end of an era,” noting that the adoption program was “already on its way out.”
The group expressed hope that the remaining children in China would receive the care, medical attention, and love they deserve.
On social media, the charity pointed out that adoptions had been declining even before the pandemic, with fewer children being put up for adoption. This trend was attributed to China’s improved economy, declining birth rates, and the diminishing social preference for male children.
In 2023, the number of newborns in China dropped to 9.02 million, and the overall population declined for the second consecutive year. As the government introduced measures to boost birth rates, China also phased out its one-child policy, which had previously been a major factor in the adoption of babies, particularly girls.
