National DNA databank set up to help China's abduction victims

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security on
Wednesday launched a national DNA databank to track and trace parents and
children who are the victims of abduction.

A ministry official said DNA tests would be conducted on five groups:

-- parents whose children are confirmed kidnapped;

-- parents whose children are lost and who have demanded a DNA test;

-- abducted children who have been rescued;

-- children who are suspected of being abducted or cannot give their homes;

-- and homeless or beggar children who cannot give their homes.

The ministry has ordered all police units to record and investigate
immediately reports of child abduction, and to take blood from the parents or
children where possible. The tests will be done free of charge.

A DNA test is regarded as one of the best ways to identify abducted
children, according to the ministry.

Early this month, the ministry launched its sixth nationwide campaign to
deal with the rampant smuggling of women and children.

The ministry on Wednesday also issued a wanted list of 10 major suspects
involved in abduction of women and children in China.

The list included descriptions of the six men and four women suspects and
made public their identity card numbers and other personal information.

At least four of the suspects belong to China's ethnic minorities, such as
the Miao, the Li, and the Dai nationalities, which usually dwell in the outlying
areas of the country.

People who provide information leading the police to the arrest of the
suspects would receive a reward, although the ministry gave no details on this.

The ministry would issue a number of similar wanted lists of abduction
suspects this year, it said.

About 3,000 child and women abduction cases are recorded and investigated
by Chinese authorities annually, but some experts estimate that 10,000 to 20,000
Chinese women or children fall into the hands of kidnappers each
year.