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All aspects of Chinese adoption (including costs and the referral process) are regulated by the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in Beijing. There is no independent adoption from China, 90% of the children that are given for adoption are girls. Chinese people prefer boys. The Chinese law forbids a second child for those who stay in urban centers or a third child for those who stay in provinces. Then parents control their child’s sex by a ultrasound when mother is three months pregnant. Still if she has a girl -in the very poor provinces- they abandon her. Because of the deep ideologies of the past, it is almost a shame to make a girl and at the opposite it’s an honour to have a boy.
Photographs: © Maro Kouri,
Text: © Nina – Maria Paschalidou

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60 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. A Canadian mother with her adopted daughter walks at the traditional food street market © Maro Kouri 63 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Lori from New York just met her five months old daugher and she gave her the name 'Star'. They have their first breakfast together at the lobby of 'Beijing' hotel. In few hours they will fly together at home, in US. And when Star will be about six years old, they will return in order to see her birth country. © Maro Kouri 65 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. 45years old Zan Repeto from Florida with her 13 years old daughter Li who does not speak chinese but she learns to speak french. Almost none from the adopted children does not speak its maternal language. 'We tried together to learn but it was not easy...' she tells us. After ten years from her adoption little Li returned together with her mother and a group of other adopted children and their parents return to China to visit Hunan, one of the poorest cinese provinces where is the orphanage where they were living their first time of their lifes after their natural parents left them. © Maro Kouri 66 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Memoey photographs but not for tourist reasons. Hundred agencies work as an intermediate between the Chinese Service of Adoptions and the candidate parents. © Maro Kouri 67 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. 'Parents' with their adopted boy intio the Chinese Adoption Service © Maro Kouri 68 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Lili O' Nil with her US family O'Nill. They seem really happy. with her sisters and her parents. "It was a benevolence" says mother Peggy O' Nil. The next morning they will travel to the province Hunan in order Lili to meet her birth place. All families that had adopted a child, they retutn to China, just for the same reason. © Maro Kouri 70 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Lili O' Nil with her US family O'Nill. They seem really happy. with her sisters and her parents. "It was a benevolence" says mother Peggy O' Nil. The next morning they will travel to the province Hunan in order Lili to meet her birth place. All families that had adopted a child, they retutn to China, just for the same reason. © Maro Kouri 71 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Orphanage in Beijing © Maro Kouri 72 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. Canadian mothers with their just adopted daughters that they 'delivered' this morning. © Maro Kouri 73 China, Beijing. Adoption affairs. 90% of the children that are given for adoption are GIRLS. Chinese people prefer boys. The Chinese law forbids a second child for those who stay in urban centers or a thirld child for those who stay in provinces. Then parents control their child's sex by a ultrasound when mother is three months pregnant. Still if she has a girl -in the very poor provinces- they abandon her. Because of the deep ideologies of the past, it is almost a shame to make a girl and at the opposite it's an honour to have a boy © Maro Kouri
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