In a deeply emotional reunion, a man who went missing as a child has finally met his biological father more than two decades later in northeastern China.
Zhang Yunpeng, now 28, was reunited with his father Zhang Jiucheng during an event held on March 2 in Huainan County, Jilin Province. The meeting marked the end of a long and difficult journey that began when he disappeared from a railway station at the age of four.
When father and son finally saw each other after 24 years, they embraced with tears in their eyes. Zhang Yunpeng expressed his love for his father during the emotional reunion.
Zhang Yunpeng went missing in 2001 at Shenyang Railway Station in Liaoning Province. According to reports, his uncle had briefly left him alone at the station while going to buy ice cream. When he returned, the child had disappeared.
After being found later, the boy was sent to a municipal welfare centre, where he was given a new name, Shen Huaibai.
In 2005, a Canadian couple adopted the child and took him to Canada. However, the couple divorced just three months later and neither wished to take responsibility for raising him.
Authorities subsequently placed him with a homestay family, but the family already had nine children, leaving him with limited care and attention.
Meanwhile, his biological father was serving time in prison when the boy disappeared. His mother later left the family and remarried.
After completing secondary education, Zhang Yunpeng had to work to support himself.
Last year, Zhang decided to search for his biological parents after seeing stories of successful family reunions on social media.
He contacted a volunteer organisation called 'Baby Returning Home,' which helps people locate their biological families.
The organisation connected him with Gao Yang, a Chinese PhD student living in Canada, who volunteered to assist him in the search.
Zhang Yunpeng submitted a blood sample, which was analysed using China's national DNA database.
Within days, the results confirmed the identity of his biological parents.
According to reports, Zhang Jiucheng recognised his son immediately after seeing his photograph, saying that the resemblance between them was unmistakable.
Before meeting him in person, the father reportedly sent his son 10,000 yuan (around 1,400 USD) and promised to make up for the years they had lost.
The emotional reunion has brought closure to a story that began with a tragic childhood separation and ended with a long-awaited family reunion.