Fewer Chinese children available for adoption in US

WASHINGTON: It is becoming increasingly difficult for American couples to adopt a Chinese baby because the number of available children is diminishing despite soaring interest, a senior US official told China Daily on Wednesday.

More than 3,000 children from China were adopted in the United States last year, the largest number among all countries, but the figure has fallen dramatically from nearly 8,000 in 2005, according to data from the US Department of State.

The reasons are, said Michele Thoren Bond, deputy assistant secretary of state for overseas citizens, there are fewer children in China who need to be adopted, more Chinese families are adopting these children, and fewer unwanted children are being born.