Adopted twins seek their Chinese root

Another reason for the drop in foreign adoptions is an increasing number of Chinese families have begun adopting children, according to Xu Anqi, a sociologist at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

Xu said as Chinese people have grown more educated, they’ve begun to realize the values and benefits of raising a child supersede bloodlines.

“China’s economy has grown rapidly, and Chinese are richer than before. More families without children have developed the desire to adopt because they can afford it,” Xu said.

In 1996, about 19,000 Chinese couples sought adoption; by 2008, that number had jumped to 42,000. There are, however, restrictions on Chinese families as well. Chinese couples have to be married, 35 or older, have no other children and be financially stable, Xu said.

Golder said another reason for decreasing adoption rates is because fewer children are being put in orphanages, adding that China’s perception of girls has changed dramatically in recent years. Girls make up about 95 percent of children at orphanages, according to the Chinese Children Adoption International in Centennial, Colorado, because in the past couples have abandoned girls to try to have a son.

“No matter who adopts, Chinese families or foreign, the main thing is to make sure the children have a good home, either in China or elsewhere,” Golder said.