More than 100,000 Chinese-born orphans and children with physical disabilities have been adopted by overseas parents over the last 30 years, a senior government official said on July 4.

Overseas adoption has become an important channel through which orphaned and disabled children find homes, said Minister of Civil Affairs Li Liguo at a ceremony held for 130 U.S. families and 200 adopted children who came back to China to "seek their roots."

Li said the adoption system has improved constantly in recent years, with an increasingly mature legal system and expanding social impact.

China has cemented adoption agreements with 138 government bodies and children's organizations in 17 countries.