China has announced the end of its international adoption program, with the only exceptions being for blood relatives or stepchildren. The decision was communicated by Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a daily briefing. The reasons for this decision were not specified, but it is said to be in line with relevant international conventions.
The US Department of State expressed sympathy for families who are waiting to complete their adoption process and stated that their embassy in China is seeking clarification on the matter. China informed US diplomats that they will no longer process adoption cases unless they fall under the exception clause.
Over the years, many foreigners have adopted children from China, with the US having the largest number of adoptions at 82,674. However, only 16 visas were issued for adoptions from China between October 2022 and September 2023. It is unclear if more visas have been issued since then.
China had suspended international adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but later resumed adoptions for children who had received travel authorization before the suspension. This decision comes as other countries, such as Denmark and Norway, have taken actions to address concerns about fabricated documents and procedures in international adoptions. Denmark’s only overseas adoption agency announced it was winding down operations, while Norway’s top regulatory body recommended a two-year halt on overseas adoptions pending an investigation.
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