China has long been one of the top countries of origin for international adoptions. More than 160,000 Chinese children have been placed in overseas homes since the early 1990s, when China first allowed the practice. (A little more than half of them went to America.) During much of this period, Chinese orphanages were full due to population control measures taken by the state. Under the one-child policy, in effect from 1980 to 2016, most families were limited to just one baby. Parents preferred boys, who would carry on the family name. Girls and sick or disabled children were more likely to be abandoned.

International adoptions seemed like a good way to relieve the stress of orphanages and save children from having to grow up in a grim state-run facility. Of those hosted by foreigners, three were raised by the Swedish Prime Minister and two by the Dutch Prime Minister.

But today, China faces a different demographic challenge. Faced with the decline of its population, the government turned to a pro-natalist policy. At the same time, the standard of living has increased dramatically, as has the quality of social services. As a result, fewer children are abandoned. International adoptions peaked in the mid-2000s and the number of orphans declined from 549,000 in 2013 to 144,000 last year. China is now better able to support them.

The international adoption program has always taken the nationalists by storm. The fact that China must rely on foreigners to raise its children is a source of humiliation. Conspiracy commentators have accused adoptive families of dark motives, such as a desire to conduct research on Chinese children or cultivate spies.

This all makes no sense. But experts have found that international adoption comes with real difficulties. Corruption and abuse mar some programs. And life can be difficult for adoptees, even if they grew up in good homes, as they struggle with questions of ethnicity and identity.

The ban imposed by China is therefore not without justification. But for families in the process of adopting Chinese children, the abrupt nature of the decision has caused heartache and confusion.

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© 2024, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. Taken from The Economist, published under license. Original content can be viewed at www.economist.com