Surrogacy debate hots up after housekeeping firm in China sparks controversy with advert offering cash to replacement mothers, prompts official probe
- Company offers more than US$30,000 to potential surrogates under age of 28
- Surrogacy not illegal in China, but is banned by many local authorities
A housekeeping company in China is in hot water after it posted an advertisement online seeking surrogate mothers, sparking a discussion about the legally ambiguous practice in the country.
Based in Henan province in northern China, Huchen Housekeeping laid out a payment plan based on the age of potential surrogates.
“Surrogate mothers under the age of 28 can earn 220,000 yuan (US$30,500), while women between the ages of 29 and 30 will be offered 210,000 yuan,” the company wrote.
The financial compensation decreased for older potential surrogates, with the cut-off being women between 40 and 42 years old, who were offered 170,000 yuan.
When contacted by Dawan News, a mainland media outlet, employees at the company said: “We have operations in both Xinyang and Shanghai.”
The staff added that they offer bespoke services for families trying to find an ideal surrogate for their future children, but the outcome largely depended on “whether the client is willing to accept the price”.
The local health commission responded immediately to the advertisement and announced on February 26 that it was “investigating the incident”.
At present, China lacks specific legislation that outlaws surrogacy. However, various government regulations do not allow the practice.
Legal loopholes often permit surrogacy practices within the country, and wealthier citizens can travel to countries like the US, where it is legal to have a surrogate baby.
Recently, online debates have intensified over the ambiguity of China’s legal position regarding surrogacy.
Reactions to the housekeeping advertisement were mixed, with many people expressing outrage at the bold marketing technique, claiming it exploited women.
One online observer said: “Are they insane? This is blatantly illegal and audacious!”
“If this is permitted, any one of us could be the next victim of human trafficking,” said another.
A third person said: “Please do not exploit women as tools for reproduction!”
The advertisement brought to mind a major controversy from 2021, when Chinese celebrity, Zheng Shuang, was accused by her ex-partner, producer Zhang Heng, of abandoning their two children born to US-based surrogate mothers after the relationship ended before they were born.
A voice recording, revealed by a friend of Zhang, caught the embattled celebrity saying: “The kids can’t be aborted, which is so annoying,” while her mother suggested the children should be given away or put up for adoption.
