U.S. Army Vet Runs Surrogacy Firm for Chinese Billionaires
A U.S. Army veteran operates a California surrogacy firm used by Chinese billionaires, sparking controversy over citizenship and ethics.
2 min read
A U.S. Army veteran who earned a fellowship at a prominent conservative think tank runs a California surrogacy firm that has facilitated births for Chinese billionaires, according to recent reports. Haotian Bai, a man born in China, operates Patriot Conceptions, an agency that connects clients between China and the United States. The firm charges intended parents between $120,000 and $200,000, while surrogates receive between $60,000 and $120,000, under legal surrogacy arrangements that comply with U.S. laws and the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship guarantee.
Controversy Over Chinese Billionaire’s Children
The firm gained national attention when a surrogate named Judy claimed she was carrying a child for a reclusive Chinese billionaire, Xu Bo, a video game executive. CBS News reported that Xu’s former partner alleged he had fathered as many as 300 children, though Xu disputes this count and claims he has custody of 12 children born through U.S. surrogacy. His company later acknowledged the effort produced “only a little over 100” children.
Targeting Chinese Clients
Patriot Conceptions heavily markets to Chinese clients, offering bilingual websites and directing prospects to WeChat. The company highlights 25 states with a supportive stance on citizenship and flags Louisiana as the only restrictive state. Bai stated that the firm does not release client demographics and that a parent’s foreign nationality does not necessarily imply the purpose of the arrangement is to secure U.S. citizenship.
Background and Accusations
Bai, who moved to the U.S. around 2012, studied environmental engineering at Iowa State University before enlisting to gain citizenship. In 2019, he faced accusations of selling Hawaiian legislative internships to Chinese students, which he denied and never faced charges. Bai is currently a 2024-2025 veteran fellow at the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank at Stanford University, where he is recognized as a leader in third-party reproduction.
Company Response
Patriot Conceptions stated it is not Xu’s only agency and welcomes scrutiny, according to a company statement. Bai emphasized that the surrogate deserves to have her concerns taken seriously.
Source: Daily Caller
