According to the applied provisions in the Adoption Law of the People’s Republic of China, the adoption relationship can be terminated via a legal approach as follows:

(1) By providing a written agreement entered into by and between the adopting party and the person having placed-out a child for adoption, however, the consent of the adopted child involved who is aged 10 or above shall be obtained, if any;

(2) a civil action brought in a competent people’s court by the person having placed-out the child for adoption in the case of the adopting party failing to perform the duty of rearing the adoptee, or commits maltreatment, abandonment, or other acts of encroachment upon the lawful rights of the minor adopted child;

(3) a written agreement entered into by and between the adoptive parents and an adult adopted child; or

(4) a civil action brought in a competent people’s court by either the adoptive parent or an adult adopted child in the case of the relationship between them deteriorates to such a extent that their living together in the same household becomes impossible and no written agreement for such termination can be reached by and between them.