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Touching moment elderly parents are reunited with their 40-year-old son after he was abducted

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This is the touching moment two elderly Chinese parents are reunited with their long-lost son 38 years after he was abducted.

The 70-year-old man and his wife had spent the last nearly four decades praying for the return of their child, nicknamed Jin Shui, who was snatched from their home at the age of two in 1982.

Emotional footage shows the family breaking down in tears as they finally got to embrace each other again today after police tracked down the son with the help of a national DNA database.

This is the touching moment two elderly Chinese parents are reunited with their long-lost son 38 years after he was abducted. Emotional footage shows the family breaking down in tears

This is the touching moment two elderly Chinese parents are reunited with their long-lost son 38 years after he was abducted. Emotional footage shows the family breaking down in tears

The boy, nicknamed Jin Shui, who was snatched from their home at the age of two in 1982

The boy, nicknamed Jin Shui, who was snatched from their home at the age of two in 1982

Emotional footage shows the family breaking down in tears as they finally got to embrace each other again today after police tracked down the son with the help of a national DNA database

Emotional footage shows the family breaking down in tears as they finally got to embrace each other again today after police tracked down the son with the help of a national DNA database

The family from a remote village in northwestern Chinese province Shaanxi had lived a simple and happy life before it was all shattered on the wee hour of May 12, 1982.

The father, Su Bingde, had left home earlier that day to visit a relative, reported local media. Thinking he would return by the night, Mr Su did not lock the house while his wife and two children stayed home.

But the father did not manage to come home while the mother, Huang Renxiu, tucked the children into bed.

In the early morning, Ms Huang was woken up by her daughter who wanted to use the toilet.

The mother was horrified to find that her two-year-old son Jin Shui, who was in a sound sleep next to her, had suddenly disappeared.

Ms Huang immediately contacted her husband and other villagers as they spent the rest of the night looking for the toddler. But the little boy was nowhere to be seen.

Refusing to give up, the family then began a decade-long quest to search for their beloved child.

On September 17, the Chinese family finally met each other again after nearly four decades

On September 17, the Chinese family finally met each other again after nearly four decades

The mother, Ms Huang, is seen wiping her tears during the reunion ceremony in Shaanxi today

The mother, Ms Huang, is seen wiping her tears during the reunion ceremony in Shaanxi today

Mr Su started going to other towns and cities in the hope to find any information about his son’s abduction.

The impoverished villager travelled mostly by foot to save money and sometimes spent hours walking non-stop.

Struck by grief, the mother began suffering mental issues, putting more strain on the devastated family.

Although local police launched an investigation soon after Jin Shui’s disappearance, the officers were unable to solve the case due to the remote location and limited information.

Nearly 40 years later, the silver-haired parents still prayed that their long-lost son would return one day.

Mr Li (pictured centre) now has a family of his own with a wife and two sons. They live in Hebei province, 1,104 kilometres (686 miles) away from his birth parents. The picture shows the Chinese man with his wife and two sons sitting with his parents after 38 years

Mr Li (pictured centre) now has a family of his own with a wife and two sons. They live in Hebei province, 1,104 kilometres (686 miles) away from his birth parents. The picture shows the Chinese man with his wife and two sons sitting with his parents after 38 years

Ms Huang and her long-lost son Jin Shui are pictured being interviewed by local press today

Ms Huang and her long-lost son Jin Shui are pictured being interviewed by local press today

Mr Su said that he had spent the past few years saving money for his funeral.

He told reporters in a interview earlier this year: ‘I don’t want to trouble the family. I’ve sorted it out myself. My one last wish is to see my son Jin Shui once again.’

The family’s prayers were finally answered when they were notified by police on Tuesday.

After comparing DNA samples in a national database, the officers located Jin Shui, who is now a 40-year-old man, known by the name Li Guolin.

Mr Li now has a family of his own with a wife and two sons. They live in Hebei province, 1,104 kilometres (686 miles) away from his birth parents.

On September 17, the family finally met again after nearly four decades as they hugged one another and burst into tears.

Mr Li and his parents are pictured having a banquet at the village after their reunion today

Mr Li and his parents are pictured having a banquet at the village after their reunion today

The overjoyed father said: ‘I had waited for this day for 38 years. I didn’t think I would also meet my grandsons!’

Other clips show the reunited family returning to the village as they gathered friends and relatives for a banquet at home.

Human trafficking has been a serious issue in Chinese society. An estimated 70,000 youngsters – from babies up to teenagers – are snatched away from their families in the country every year.

Some are bought, some are simply stolen. They end up as labourers, in forced marriages or as the adoptees of wealthy families, either in China itself or overseas.

Why is child abduction a serious problem in China?

Around 200,000 boys and girls are reported to be missing every year in China

Around 200,000 boys and girls are reported to be missing every year in China

Child abduction is a serious problem in China, especially in rural areas. 

One major cause is that the Chinese families prefer sons to daughters, resulting in them buying baby boys. 

In addition, a severe gender gap – a result of four decades of one-child policy – has made it hard for Chinese men to find wives. Therefore, teenager girls are sometimes kidnapped and sold as child brides.

Child abduction remains a sensitive topic to the Chinese authorities. No official figures have been released on how many children are kidnapped in China every year.

However according to a 2013 report on China Nation Radio, around 200,000 boys and girls are estimated to be missing every year. Among them, only 200, or 0.1 per cent, would be able to find their parents at some point of their lives.

A survey shows that around 64 per cent of the kidnapped children in China are boys

A survey shows that around 64 per cent of the kidnapped children in China are boys

But other recent reports have estimated that the estimated number could fall anywhere between 20,000 and 200,000.

Baobeihuijia, a website specialised in connecting families with their missing members, has conducted a survey on the kidnapped children in China based on 8,861 cases listed on their website. 

The survey shows that around 64 per cent of the kidnapped children are boys and more than 75 per cent of the kidnapped children are under the age of six.

However, among those who are abducted over the age of 13, there are more girls than boys.

The survey also claims that children under the age of four are most likely to be abducted in China.

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