World

Man in China has been reunited with his son who was abducted 24 years ago

A Chinese man has been reunited with his son after a 24-year search that saw him travel over 500,000km (310,000 mi) on a motorbike across the country.

Guo Gangtang’s son had been snatched aged two by human traffickers in front of their home in the province of Shandong. His son’s disappearance actually inspired a movie, “Lost and Love” in 2015, which starred Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau. According to China’s Ministry of Public Security, the police were able to trace the son’s identity using DNA testing. Two suspects were later tracked down and arrested, said a Global Times report.

The suspects, who were dating at the time, had planned to kidnap a child with the intention of selling him for money, said a report by China News. After spotting Mr Guo’s son playing alone outside his home, the female suspect identified only by her surname Tang grabbed him and took him to the bus station, where her partner, named as Hu, was waiting.

The couple then took an intercity coach to neighbouring Henan province and sold the child there. Local media reports say Mr Guo’s son was found still living in the province. Mr Guo and his wife cried and hugged their son when they were reunited in Liaocheng, Shandong, on Sunday, state media CCTV reported. “My baby, you came back!” said the mother, whose name was not released, in a video of the reunion.

“Now that the child has been found, everything can only be happy from now on,” Mr Guo told reporters. Mr Lau, who got to know Mr Guo while preparing to play him in the film Lost and Love, congratulated him. “I’d like to say to Brother Guo that I admire your persistence,” he said, according to the South China Morning Post.

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS

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Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

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