Chinese children adopted by overseas families begin root-tracing trip

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-23 22:19

BEIJING: Chinese children adopted by 37 overseas families from six countries are in China for a root-tracing trip to learn more about their birth country.

A welcoming ceremony was held on Monday by the Ministry of Civil Affairs for the children aged four to 14 and their families.

At the ceremony, Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju presented gifts to the children. To welcome the children, a traditional Chinese drum dance and poetry recitation were also staged at the ceremony.

In the following days, the children will revisit their birth places and former orphanages where they will celebrate this year's Thanksgiving Day with orphans and child-care workers there.

In coincidence with the Thanksgiving Day, the trip seeks to foster a sense of gratitude to their former orphanages and China among the adopted children, while offering them an opportunity to learn more about the Chinese culture.

An estimated 50,000 Chinese children have been adopted by foreigners since 1980, with 80 percent by Americans.