A Chinese father never stopped looking for his son, who was kidnapped at age 2. They reunited after 24 years.

The roots of the abduction problem can be traced to traditional Chinese beliefs, combined with government corruption, The Post article noted. There is demand for children in villages where there is a strong a preference for large families, especially sons — and gangs working with the police satisfied it. A custom, in which people with several children could donate one to relatives with none, provided cover for the black-market industry, while rising incomes fueled it financially.