China has officially announced the termination of most international adoptions, reflecting its shift from tackling overpopulation to addressing a dramatic decline in birth rates. This marks the end of an era in which tens of thousands of Chinese-born children found homes with families in the U.S. and other countries.

China’s international adoption program began in the 1990s, largely as a solution for families who wanted to avoid penalties under the country’s strict one-child policy, which was abolished in 2015. During this time, international adoptions provided relief for parents facing government restrictions while also addressing overpopulation concerns. However, in the years since, China has been grappling with a sharp decline in birth rates. Fewer than 10 million babies were born in 2022, compared to 16 million in 2012.

International adoptions had been paused since the COVID-19 pandemic, but hundreds of American families still have adoption applications pending. According to The Associated Press, the U.S. is now seeking clarification on how this decision will affect those cases. Beijing has stated that adoption applications currently in progress “will no longer be processed at any stage.”

The sharp decline in China’s birth rate is seen as part of a broader demographic crisis. The one-child policy, introduced as a countermeasure to the country’s high birth rates and limited resources, inadvertently fueled China’s rise to becoming the world’s second-largest economy. However, the expected post-2015 baby boom never materialized, leaving the country with an aging population and shrinking workforce.

The fate of pending adoption applications remains uncertain. The U.S. embassy is seeking further details on the impact of China’s decision, especially for American families. To date, 82,674 children have been adopted from China by American families since the program’s inception, more than from any other foreign country. In 2007, China tightened its adoption process, restricting foreign adoptions to heterosexual married couples, a move aimed at better regulating the system, according to the South China Morning Post.

China’s shift away from international adoptions reflects its current focus on boosting birth rates and addressing the challenges posed by an aging population.

By Impact Lab