Editor’s note: the following was translated and edited from an article that appeared on 21cn.com. It recounts the stories of a couple that cannot conceive as well as several single mothers, providing insights into the reasons why grey market adoptions in China are so prevalent, as well as why people decide to adopt or give their children up for adoption through the grey market instead of official adoption agencies and orphanages.

Last March, Jian Fang hugged the baby for the first time. Though the two had no blood relation, there he was, fast asleep in her arms. Jian and her husband had already gone through a lot of trouble for this infant, such as moving from Shenzhen’s Luohu district to its Bao’an district, both changing jobs among others. They'd also paid a 50,000 RMB "placed out for adoption" fee (送养费) to the child's biological mother, a single woman, who after the baby was handed over simply took the money and then left. This is but one example of a baby in China being indiscreetly “bought and sold” through the grey market for adoption.

A couple that cannot conceive tries to adopt a baby

Two years ago, Jian Fang learned that there was a tumor growing in her uterus. She went to the hospital and had the tumor removed, but also lost the ability to bear children. She tried in earnest to adopt through a legitimate orphanage, but quickly discovered that the process was incredibly long and arduous. An employee at the Shenzhen Welfare Center told her that even though the center hosted more than 500 children, less than 10 percent of them were “healthy”. Moreover, there were more than a thousand couples queued at any given time waiting for an adoption to go through—the average wait time was more than five years for most.

Jian's heart dropped upon hearing this news. She was 32 years old at the time, meaning that her best-case scenario was finalizing an adoption when she was already pushing 37. "Every time I see someone the same age as me with a child, it tears the wound open again," Jian said. She worries when the day comes that she and her husband grow old, not only will they be all alone; without a child to help care for them and handle their expenses, it’s unlikely that any nursing home will take them.

With no other option, Jian decided to register on an adoption message board. From that board, she eventually found her way into a QQ group for women in situations similar to hers, and from there she managed to locate a single mother looking to place her child out for adoption under the radar. The two sides got along well, and were quickly able to reach an agreement.

Before Jian had finalized this "transaction", she spent about 3 months on QQ talking with several other single mothers who were looking to give up their babies for adoption. She ultimately chose the women who had the highest educational level, reasoning that at least this would mean her soon-to-be child's IQ would not be too low.

After choosing the woman, the two spent several weeks talking and reaching a financial agreement. Jian and her husband visited Dongguan three times to see the baby, and came to a final decision during the last meeting. Concerned that the woman would go back on her side of the agreement, Jian paid her in cash and after taking the baby boy home changed her phone number, effectively cutting off all future contact between the birth mother and her child.

Two months have passed since the exchange was made, and Jian still feels very anxious, constantly worrying that the mother will find her and try to take her baby back. At the same time, she's also very caught up in the joys of being a first-time mother, though she hasn't yet figured out what to do about the hukou situation (permanent residence registration), since she can't really go through the normal channels. She's simply taking it one day at a time.

Single mothers’ reasons for giving their babies up for adoption

According to Xiao Lu, the administrator of the QQ group mentioned above; generally speaking, the people placing their children out for adoption are single mothers or households where the family financial situation is so bad that it would hinder the child's upbringing. Most of single mothers are migrant workers in the service industry and lack even a high-school education. Based on feedback from families who've successfully adopted, placing out fees range from 30,000-100,000 RMB, and children less than a year old are preferred, since they're too young to really know what's going on and can become attached to the adoptive family more easily.

Zhao Xue is an 18-year-old single mother who was raised by her grandmother, as her father was a manual laborer over in Guangzhou. Zhao was nearly three months along before she realized she was pregnant. The doctor told her that she had thin uterus lining and that an abortion would likely ruin her chances of being able to conceive again. Once she learned of this, she decided to keep the baby, though she had her grandmother help her keep the pregnancy a secret from her teachers and classmates.

Even before the child was born, she'd decided to place it out for adoption. During her pregnancy, she'd been in contact with five families, ultimately making the practical decision to sell it to the highest bidder. She reached an agreement with a couple that offered her 60,000 RMB for her baby. During the later months of her pregnancy, the adoptive parents sent her a monthly stipend and helped take care of her during her hospital stay. Much to the couple's relief, she wanted to completely break contact with them and her child as soon as it was born: "I'm still young yet and have a long path in front of me. If I had to bring a child with me, my life wouldn't be the same."

Zhao admits that actually giving her baby away was not so easy, but she was able to somewhat console herself when she realized, "This family could afford to pay me 60,000 RMB. This shows that they are well-off and that the baby will be better off with them than in an orphanage or with me." When asked about her future plans, Zhao said that she hopes to get back on track with studying, working, eventually forming a family and having another child. She hopes that she'll be able to get over this episode quickly.

However, money is not the main goal for every person who places a child up for adoption. For 28-year-old single mother A Ran, she wasn't concerned about money as much as how her daughter would be treated: "I'm not asking for a single cent; but I need the couple to promise that they'll treat my daughter well." Two years ago, A Ran became the mistress of a wealthy Hong Kong businessman, and gave birth in Hong Kong at the end of last year. Following the birth of their daughter, the man gave her a one-time alimony payment, hoping that it would be enough so that they could end on good terms. Although A Ran's family is from Shanghai, she hopes to find a family in Shenzhen to adopt her daughter, since it would be easier for her to study later on in Hong Kong. "My life is pretty messed up. I don't want my daughter to grow up without a father," she added.

In giving her daughter up for adoption, A Ran has two requirements: 1) the family treats her as their own and 2) when her daughter grows up and the timing is right, she can visit her. What she didn't realize until after six months of looking, is that no one is willing to agree to the latter requirement: "They'd tell me that they'll try to satisfy my request, but only if I agree to not tell my her daughter who I really am. That makes me have second thoughts about giving her away." The whole process of looking for adoptive parents has been very painful for A Ran: "I know nothing about these people, but I'm giving them my baby in return or some money. I really wish I didn't have to do this."

Source: news.21cn.com
 

Related links
Orphans of the State: The Story Behind Chinese Overseas Adoption
Is it Time for Adoption Reform in China?
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Keywords: Grey Market Adoptions in China