ASIA NEWS

Quoted from The Citizen - (Thursday 29 March 2007)

Concern is expressed over child adoption exploitation in Asia.

“Asia is a popular destination for Westerners eager to adopt children, with thousands of new families created each year, but the industry is troubled by exploitation, regional experts say.”

As Asia is home to over three-fifths of humanity, it has been a natural destination for adoption, despite persistent concerns by some governments over child trafficking. Angelina Jolie being one of thousands looking to Asia to enlarge her family.

“On any given day in cities such as Shanghai, Chinese newborns can be seen carried on to planes by cooing adults, headed for new homes in the US, Canada, Australia and elsewhere.”

Jane Liedtke of Our China Daughters Foundation, a Beijing group that helps facilitate adoption for Americans in China is quoted as saying “Adoption has become a commercial commodity. It’s like, I want to have one of those too because everybody else has one. It’s like a consumer product.” Liedtke said about 10 000 children were adopted in China by foreigners last year, compared to 1500 adopted in Vietnam, while Cambodia had allowed more than 100 adoptions a year since 2003.