All responses below are direct quotes from Joshua Zhong, Co-founder & President of CCAI (Cherish Children Adoption International), which were obtained through an email between Girls Adoption Connect and CCAI.
As an organization helping families adopt children internationally, did you anticipate the end of international Chinese adoption? What was your reaction when it was announced?
“I am sure most of the adoptees know that China had announced in January 2020 a pause to international adoptions in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The very long wait due to this COVID-19 closure was truly frustrating as many families had been matched with children who were waiting for their parents to come and pick them up. Everyone has been praying and hoping for the reopening of China’s international adoption so that these waiting children could come home. The truth of the matter is that China re-opened briefly at the end of last year (2023) to allow a small number of families who had received Travel Notices (approval from China to travel and unite with their child) prior to the pandemic pause to go to China and bring their children home. This gave us hope. In addition, on August 20, 2024 we heard rumors that some families in Italy and Spain had received a message from CCCWA (China’s Center for Children Welfare and Adoption) through their adoption agencies, checking on their adoption status. Again, we saw this a positive and exciting indication that families with a LOA (Letter of Approval from China, approving their child match) would be able to travel to China soon.
Then, out of nowhere, on September 4 we all received the very sad notice from U.S. Department’s Office of Children Issues (OCI) that China had decided to close their international adoption program! The news was confirmed the next day by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson. We, together with all of the waiting families and our adoption community, were shocked, confused, and very much devastated.”
Many Chinese adoptees are uncertain as to how this news could affect their search for biological family members or taking homeland tours. How do you see this news affecting/not affecting already-adopted Chinese adoptees?
“Personally, I do not think this closure will affect birth parent search efforts or heritage tours. Adoptees who want to search for their birth families should not be deterred! It is their right. A wonderful and free birth family search resource in China is Baobei Coming Home (BaoBeiHuiJia - 宝贝回家). CCAI also offers many different heritage tour itineraries throughout the year for adoptees and adoptive families through our The Park Adoption Community Center (https://theparkcommunity.org/heritage-tours/). Please check it out and see how we can best assist you. I believe heritage tours are an incredibly important experience for adoptees.”
With international adoption still possible for blood relatives within three generations, is your organization planning to facilitate these cases?
“Yes, CCAI has been providing China relative adoption services for many years. We will continue that service.”
Adoption agencies were emailed by the U.S. Department of State and given a message to share with families they’re working with. Did your organization have any pending adoptions who you needed to notify? How did you approach notifying families of this news? Do you anticipate these families trying to adopt from other countries (if so, which ones)?
“Yes, we have many families waiting in different stages of the China adoption process. We shared the OCI’s announcement immediately with all waiting families and have been trying our best to keep everyone updated on any minute-to-minute changes/news/action items this week. Of course, there have been a lot of emotions. We have been crying, hand-holding, and praying with our families. We are not giving up and have been working diligently with related organizations and governmental agencies to make sure that the well-being of the orphanage children is not forgotten in the midst of this chaos and the families with approved child match will be allowed to complete their adoption.
We do have active adoption programs from Colombia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, Belize, and the Dominican Republic, and some families have asked about these programs. For these families, we plan to hold an information meeting this Friday. However, our primary focus right now is on the children and families who have been left with no answers in this China program closure. There are unique and beautiful reasons behind each family’s decision to adopt from a particular country and we need to be very sensitive and respectful of that.”
What’s your organization doing to support children still in orphanages in China?
CCAI is one of only two adoption agencies in this country that has a Charity License in China. We are very lucky to be able to continue our charity outreach in China which has lasted for more than 30 years. We will try our best to work with the government and orphanages to meet the physical and emotional needs of the children who remain in orphanages through such programs as caretaker training, one-on-one education initiatives, medical treatment sponsorship, Fulfill-a-Wish summer camps, foster family development, orphan sponsorship, counseling, and any other avenues we are able. We welcome and encourage adoptees’ active involvement in supporting these life-changing charity efforts. You can learn more about our dedicated and ongoing efforts at https://ccaifamily.org/orphan-care/.
Anything else you’d like the Chinese adoptee community to know?
“As an adoptive dad myself I know that this news has left Chinese adoptees feeling incredibly lost and confused. My daughter is angry and discouraged. CCAI has been responsible for around 15% of all China adoptions in the US, a responsibility that weighs very heavily on us. I want all adoptees to know that you are very much loved and important. Although you may be feeling despair, a completely normal and very understandable feeling in the midst of crises such as these, you are each capable of engaging and making a difference. Your stories and voices are the most valuable and impactful ones. I pray that all adoptees will bond together at this special time and support each other. You are not alone and we are here together as a big family. CCAI has and will always be dedicated to serving and supporting adoptees and their families.
Our The Park Adoption Community Center and adoptee-led Adopteen program are growing and creating so many important community opportunities that we highly encourage adoptees to explore. Understanding, friendship and support are plenty in The Park Community. https://theparkcommunity.org/.”