A Chinese company in China was reported to have operated a surrogate mother business secretly underground while displaying a bio-company sign. According to reports by Chinese media outlets such as the Singapore Lianhe Zaobao, authorities have initiated an investigation following the disclosure.
Reportedly, a high-end experimental lab for surrogacy was hidden underground in an abandoned car trading mall in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, uncovered by Henan TV on the 26th.
Although the company had a bio-company sign outwardly, it had been engaged in surrogacy business at the location for quite some time. The lab premises were reported to cover an area of 800 square meters, known as the largest in northern China.
The company received 750,000 yuan (approximately 140 million won) for each child they birthed as a surrogate, and an additional 200,000 yuan (around 37.4 million won) from customers who wanted to confirm the child’s gender.
According to an informant, “Hospital doctors cooperated with the surrogacy company to perform illegal procedures such as egg retrieval and transplantation in the lab, charging a fee of 1,500 yuan (28,000 won) per session.” The informant added, “The surrogacy company has only a few employees, around 5 to 6, and some of them searched for customers needing surrogates on internet platforms while also recruiting surrogate candidates.”
Immediately following the news reports, the Qingdao Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning stated that they had formed a joint investigation team with public security departments and other relevant agencies to investigate the matter. They emphasized that if the facts are confirmed, strict measures will be taken according to the law.
Surrogacy births in China are illegal, but due to high demand from issues such as infertility, related businesses are reportedly prevalent.
[Photo Source: Capture of Qingdao City Sanitation Administration and Law Enforcement Command]
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