Thirty Chinese children adopted by North American families have returned to China "to search for their roots".

The children aged 12 to 18 joined a summer camp with a theme of "Embracing China, Feeling Beijing", which was sponsored by the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) and specially designed for Chinese children adopted by foreign families.

Most of the children -- one from Canada and the rest from the United States -- had lived abroad for more than a decade and were returning for the first time, said Lu Ying, the CCAA director.

The ten-day camp includes lessons in Chinese history, culture and art, a day with Beijing families and visits to scenic spots, historical sites and Beijing Olympics venues.

"We believe it's very important for adopted teenagers like us to come back to China to see first hand our birth land and people. It builds our pride in this great country and in ourselves," said Natalie Cecere, who was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, in 1991 and was adopted by a Massachusetts couple in 1992.

"My parents taught me to be proud of who I am and of my birth country," said Cecere at the camp's opening ceremony.

"In a time when the foes of inter-country adoption like to highlight the negative experiences of a few, I submit to you that these 30 Chinese-born children are the true face of inter-country adoption," said Charles Johnson, adoption service director of the US National Council For Adoption (NCFA), who assisted in camp enrolment.

Lu, who organized the adoptions, said she was gratified the children were healthy and happy.

A non-governmental organization entrusted by the government to organize inter-country adoptions, the CCAA had helped thousands of Chinese orphans find foreign parents since it was established 11 years ago, Lu said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)