Expat diplomat adopts abandoned child
31/03/09 16:00
The UK consul-general in Shanghai, Carma Elliot, has adopted an abandoned Chinese child, the Scotsman has reported.
Ms Elliot is responsible for developing the UK's relationship with China and she became aware of the difficulties orphaned children were facing.
She told the paper she thought long and hard about the decision "and when I decided to go ahead I was delighted when the Chinese authorities approved the adoption".
"Then one day I got a call saying my baby was ready for collection. Within a couple of hours I became a mum," she said.
The Chinese government introduced a family planning policy in 1979 to control the country's booming population.
It is unlikely the then leader, Deng Xiaoping, could have predicted the recent influx from expatriates, keen to take advantage of China's increasing economic development.
According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in 2007, 605,094 British nationals visited the country. Brits considering an expatriate life in the country should heed the FCO's advice for visitors and "obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before traveling".
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