Statement Regarding the Children in Earthquake hit Regions

Ministry of Civil Affairs Replies to Enquiries by Organizations and Individuals Home and Abroad about Placing Orphans in Quake-hit Areas


Date of Release:May 19,2008 　　Source: Social Welfare and Social Affairs Department


After May 12 when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan in Sichuan Province, all social circles expressed their loves in every manner. Especially after May 13, when TV reports showed Premier Wen Jiabao visiting orphans in disaster-hit areas, many organizations and individuals home and abroad were very concerned about children in these areas, heavy-hearted about their difficulties. Quite a lot of them, deeply concerned, enquired about the possibility about adopting these children. Hereby the Ministry of Civil Affairs would like to give the following response to this question.
At present the disaster-hit areas are occupied with tense rescuing work and saving people’s lives at whatever cost is the primary task. Party Committees and governments at all levels are taking every measure to safeguard the life and property of the people and have given proper care and placement to children who have lost their parents or whose parents have not been found for the moment and tried their best to look for the children’s parents and relatives. As the rescuing work progresses, more children will be able to be back to their families.
We would like assure those who care about the children in the quake-hit areas that the Ministry of Civil Affairs will spare no efforts in supporting the civil affairs departments of these areas to take good care of the orphans, ensure that they will recover both physically and mentally after the disaster as soon as possible and will give timely feedback on the situation of their placement and life. After things in disaster-hit areas return to normal, the adoption of orphans in these areas will be conducted in accordance with relevant laws and regulations so that adoptive applicants who are eligible will adopt these children legally.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs would like to avail itself of this opportunity to express its sincere gratitude to all those who care so much about the people, especially the children, in quake-hit areas. We believe that with the guidance of the Central Party Committee and the State Council and joint efforts by people nationwide, people in the disaster-hit areas will go through the difficulties and win the battle against the disaster.