Building mega families: The rise of Chinese billionaires and their 200 children in the US

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by News 18, click this post to read the original full article.

Wealthy Chinese parents are increasingly utilizing surrogacy in the United States to have children who automatically gain American citizenship, a trend that has raised ethical, legal, and geopolitical concerns. This practice, which was once relatively obscure, has grown significantly, with some individuals reportedly fathering hundreds of children through surrogate mothers. The motivations for this surge in surrogacy are complex, intertwining issues of citizenship laws and immigration with the desire for parenthood. Critics argue that commercial surrogacy reduces the act of pregnancy to a transactional service, leading to concerns about the commodification of childbirth.

In China, where surrogacy has been banned since 2001 due to concerns over exploitation and legal complications, wealthy families are circumventing these restrictions by seeking surrogacy services abroad, particularly in the U.S., where the practice is legal in several states. The cost of these arrangements can be exorbitant, potentially reaching millions of rupees per child. Despite China’s demographic challenges, including a declining birth rate and an aging population, the government has not lifted the ban on surrogacy, leading affluent families to look overseas for solutions.

The scale of surrogacy arrangements has led to alarming revelations, such as cases of individuals seeking parental rights for numerous children simultaneously. One notable case involves Xu Bo, a Chinese entrepreneur, who has reportedly fathered over 100 children through surrogacy in the U.S. These children, born on American soil, acquire citizenship, which can eventually provide pathways for their parents to gain residency. This situation has prompted debates in the U.S. about the ethical implications of surrogacy, the treatment of surrogate mothers, and the potential exploitation of birthright citizenship by foreign elites.

As the practice of surrogacy among wealthy Chinese continues to grow, it has sparked a broader discussion about the implications of such arrangements. Concerns have been raised about the potential for children to be treated as commodities and the financial pressures faced by surrogate mothers. Additionally, there are fears that the ability of ultra-wealthy individuals to “order” large numbers of children could lead to destabilizing outcomes in society, prompting calls for tighter regulations on commercial surrogacy both in the U.S. and abroad.