China

The People's Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as China or mainland China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world. With more than 1.3 billion people, the PRC comprises approximately a fifth of the world's population. It is a socialist republic ruled by the Communist Party of China under a single-party system and has jurisdiction over twenty-two provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and two largely self-governing Special Administrative Regions (SARs). China's capital is Beijing.

In 1979, the Chinese government introduced a policy to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China. The “One Child Policy” is also known as “birth planning/population control.” It officially restricts the number of children that married, urban couples can have to one child, with some exceptions.

Bethany has been working in The People’s Republic of China since 1992, alongside Ms. Shiyan Zeng, the in-country facilitator who is our direct liaison with the China Center of Adoption Affairs. Bethany’s work has primarily been in intercountry adoptions and more recently has provided the social services of child sponsorship and foster care. The People’s Republic of China is a signatory and has ratified The Hague Convention on the Rights of Children, with the China Center of Adoption Affairs as the designated Central Authority.

Since 2000, Bethany has been involved with “Every Child Deserves a Family” conferences that encourage and support orphanage directors and foster care workers who have moved children to family-based care in a community. In partnership with the Chinese organization Amity Foundation, these conferences have trained more than 400 professionals.

Bethany Christian Services has placed more than 2,200 Chinese children into permanent, loving homes in the U.S. through intercountry adoption. Our International Sponsorship program has served more than fifty children, and our foster care program currently provides foster homes for twenty children with medical/special needs. Our continuing goal is to help even more
vulnerable children.

Click on the program title to learn how you can help.
Adoption
Intercountry Adoption

System Development
Child Welfare Training

Temporary Care
Foster Care