Domestic China PAPs’ Online Groups

“Given the strong demand for child adoption, websites providing such services are becoming increasingly popular in China. Such business practices verge on illegality, experts said, while calling on related government agencies to immediately put them under regulatory supervision.

The Guangdong-based Southern Daily reported that there were a number of websites, forums and chat rooms dedicated to providing child adoption services, including those offering babies for adoption, some that helped clients through the adoption process, website management, voluntary work and agents who could apply for birth certificates.

An excessive demand for children led to surgence of adoption on these platforms, according to the report.

The report said that in a group composed of 296 families, only 10 had babies intended for adoption, while the others were waiting to adopt. Parents who offered their baby for adoption usually receiv 10,000 yuan (US$1,630) to 30,000 yuan (US$4,890) as compensation.

For families adopting new babies, registering their births is a big problem, forcing many to give up their dreams of adopting.

To the surprise of many, some people had even offered to apply for birth certificates for adopted parents through QQ, China’s largest online network, which offers an instant messaging software service. It charges 6,500 yuan (US$1,060) for getting such a certificate within seven days.

At an online forum, agents charged between 600 yuan (US$98) and 25,000 yuan (US$4,080) for a birth certificate.

Some people have been convicted of the illegal sale of children. Last year, a man posted a message online putting up his daughter for adoption and was eventually sentenced by a court to five years and six months for abduction and the illegal sale of children.

While online child adoption has become an emerging and lucrative business, it has also sparked controversy with regards to its legitimacy. The question remains whether those who put up their babies for adoption can ask for monetary compensation and whether such online platforms are violating the law.

Li Xiandong, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said that under China’s existing laws, it was legal to put up children for adoption and adopt children. But families from both sides had to complete the related procedures for adoption to establish their adoption relations.

A survey showed that 64.5% of the respondents said people who put up their children for adoption could ask for monetary compensation, while 35.5% held an opposing view.”

Online supply of children for adoption outstrips demand in China

[Want China Times 6/20/13]

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