A spokesperson for the Chinese government said on Thursday that it no longer allows foreign adoptions.
Mao Ning, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said that blood relatives who adopt a child will be exempt.
She did not explain her decision, other than to say it was by relevant international conventions.
Over the years, many foreigners have adopted Chinese children. They visit the country to collect them and then bring them to their new home abroad.
China suspended adoptions abroad during the COVID-19 epidemic. In its latest adoption report, the U.S. State Department stated that the government resumed adoptions of children who received travel authorizations before the suspension.
The State Department reported that a U.S. Consulate issued 16 visas to China for adoptions in the twelve months between October 2022 and September 2023. This was the first time in over two years. The State Department report did not indicate if more visas have been issued since that time.
In January, Denmark’s sole overseas adoption agency announced that it would be closing its doors after concerns about fake documents and procedures were raised. Norway’s top regulatory authority recommended stopping all overseas adoptions in the next two years, pending an investigation of several cases.
