The Chinese government has recently announced the end of its international adoption program, leaving many American families with pending applications in limbo. This decision was communicated by Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, who stated that intercountry adoptions of Chinese children will no longer be allowed, except for cases involving blood relatives or stepchildren.
The US is seeking clarification from China on how this decision will impact the pending adoption cases of hundreds of American families. The state department expressed sympathy for those affected and stated that they are working to get more information from China’s ministry of civil affairs.
Over the years, thousands of children have been adopted from China by families in the US, making it the country with the highest number of adoptions from China. The process was temporarily halted during the Covid-19 pandemic but resumed for some cases. However, with the recent announcement from China, it remains uncertain what will happen to pending applications.
This decision comes as China is experiencing a decline in birth rates, with the number of newborns dropping in recent years. Additionally, other countries like Denmark and Norway have raised concerns about overseas adoptions, leading to a halt in operations or recommendations to suspend adoptions pending investigations. The US is now eagerly awaiting clarification from China on how this decision will impact American families seeking to adopt children from China.
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