China has officially announced the end of its international adoption program, a decision that has left hundreds of American families with pending applications seeking clarification. The Chinese foreign ministry, represented by spokesperson Mao Ning, confirmed that only adoptions involving blood relatives or stepchildren would be allowed moving forward. While Mao did not provide a detailed explanation, she stated that the decision aligns with international conventions.
The US State Department has expressed concern over the impact on families still awaiting adoption approval. In letters shared with adoption agencies, it confirmed that Chinese authorities have cancelled all pending adoptions, except those with travel authorizations already issued. The US embassy in Beijing is working to obtain written clarification from China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs.
For decades, China was the leading source of international adoptions for American families, with over 82,000 children adopted from the country. However, the process had been largely suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of adoptions had been in decline even before the pandemic. Social and demographic shifts in China, including an improved economy and the phasing out of the one-child policy, have led to fewer children being put up for adoption.
The decision has prompted mixed reactions from prospective parents and adoptees. Some fear the closure of adoption avenues, while others see it as a long-overdue change, hoping that children will be better cared for within China. The US-based Nanchang Project, a group assisting Chinese adoptees in connecting with biological families, described the decision as “the end of an era.”
