World

They Were Surrogates. Now They Must Raise the Children.


“They have paid off their debt,” said Hun Daneth. “Their lives can start like new.”

The scout is connected to an agency run by a Chinese man and his Cambodian wife locally. Her sister runs luxury villas where surrogate mothers live.

Eight representatives who spoke to The New York Times described the mansion’s chandeliers, air conditioning and flush toilets, none of which they enjoyed at home. Their meals are plentiful. The women dream about how much money they will earn. They are also happy to know that they are providing a much-needed service.

“I am helping someone have a baby,” said Hun Daneth. “I want to bring that joy back.”

Mr. Xu, a wealthy businessman from the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, was paired with Ms. Hun Daneth. He told friends who spoke to The Times that the only thing he was missing was a son to carry on the family line.

Most Chinese babies born to Cambodians are boys. Sex selection is banned in China, but not in Cambodia. Commercial surrogacy is not openly practiced in China, despite official concerns about the country’s plummeting birth rate following decades of brutal one-child policy.

In his testimony before the Cambodian court, Mr. Xu said his wife could not bear children. But friends of Mr. Xu, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of offending Cambodian authorities, say his situation is more complicated: He has no wife and is openly gay. Ms. Hun Daneth said Mr. Xu told her about his sexual orientation. LGBTQ couples cannot adopt in China, and single or gay men are banned from surrogacy in most countries where such practice is legal.

The Perfect Fertility Center, or PFC, a surrogacy agency registered in the British Virgin Islands, has shown rare empathy for LGBTQ intended parents who promise children through Cambodia, Mexico and the United States. The company’s website is illustrated with images of same-sex couples holding babies.

PFC was founded by Tony Yu, who asked Cambodians to surrogacy for his child. Mr. Yu, who is openly gay, said Cambodian lawyers assured him that his agency was legit.

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