The Disturbing Phenomenon and Data of Mass Disappearances in Mainland China

The Nation is Full of Cameras

[People News] On January 20, 2026, several online articles addressed the alarming trend of numerous young people going missing in China, while the Chinese Communist authorities, who possess world-leading high-tech digital surveillance capabilities, have taken no action.

This situation highlights a stark contradiction: the police's impressive ability to 'identify you in an instant' stands in sharp contrast to the large number of missing persons whose whereabouts remain unknown. This suggests that the significant number of disappearances in China is not due to the police's inability to investigate, but rather because they are not conducting any investigations at all.

Moreover, it is stressed that any attempt to suppress questions through silence will only lend credibility to the most alarming speculations. Given the recent revelations about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) secret organ harvesting practices, it is reasonable to conclude that a substantial portion of the missing individuals in China is connected to this issue, with the CCP being the largest criminal organisation involved in organ harvesting.

Intensive Disappearances of Teenagers in Henan: A Disturbing Thought

Author Qian Baidu published an article on January 20, noting that at the start of the new year, within just over ten days, several middle school students aged 13 to 15 in Henan had mysteriously vanished while on their way to school, after school, or in public places. These disappearances have occurred in a concentrated timeframe, in relatively close proximity, and with a high overlap in age.

On the evening of January 5, a 14-year-old girl named Zhao Xinran from Dacheng County, Hebei Province, went missing in Dongwang Village. On the morning of January 7, around 6 a.m., a 15-year-old boy named Luo Xingye from Qingfeng County, Henan Province disappeared while on his way to school. On January 8, a first-year high school student named Zhu from 'Jinshi Tsinghua Garden' High School in Xincai County, Henan, suddenly died on campus. On the evening of January 9, after school, a ninth-grade student named Du Qiuzhe from Huaiyin County, Henan, went missing. This area is located only 40-60 kilometres from Xincai County.

It is clear that these incidents of disappearance and death are not confined to a single area within one city, but are instead spread across multiple counties in eastern, southern, and central Henan, occurring in rapid succession despite being several dozen kilometres apart. This pattern of low intensity and wide distribution suggests a systemic failure, and may even indicate a systemic operation, rather than isolated criminal acts.

In principle, following the concentrated disappearances of minors, local authorities should have immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation, classified it as a major public safety incident, and organised personnel to investigate the cases, providing a credible explanation to the families of the missing individuals and the public. Furthermore, in today's highly digitised social management landscape, where surveillance cameras are nearly ubiquitous in both urban and rural areas, if the government genuinely seeks to uncover the reasons behind these disappearances, it should not be a challenging task.

In the aftermath of the death of a high school boy in Xincai County, the local government has not only failed to take action but has instead engaged in counterproductive measures, actively suppressing public opinion and stifling the voices of citizens calling for a thorough investigation into the truth. They have even gone so far as to close highways. Currently, some members of the public suspect that the case may be linked to organ transplantation, suggesting that it is being orchestrated by the authorities. Even if it is not directly led by them, it is at least being shielded by the government. Otherwise, the local authorities would not behave in this manner.

Wang Zhiyuan, the head of the 'World Organisation to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong,' recently stated in an exclusive interview with 'China Insight' that incidents like this in Henan could be connected to the long-standing organ harvesting crimes perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). 'It is reasonable for the public to associate such incidents with organ harvesting,' he emphasised, noting that this practice has expanded from targeting Falun Gong practitioners to affecting society as a whole. He urged the public to remain vigilant and work together to stop this crime against humanity.

The recent surge of missing youth cases in Henan during the New Year has already created a significant public trust crisis, regardless of where the ultimate truth may lie. In light of this crisis, the only responsible course of action is to conduct an independent investigation, ensure transparency of information, and allow for media and public oversight. Any attempts to silence questions will only lend credibility to the worst suspicions.

'Finding out who you are in a minute' and the mystery of missing persons

Author Yuan Bin also published an article on the 20th, highlighting that it is widely recognised that China's digital surveillance is extensive, monitoring is rigorous, and the level of technology is advanced, placing it at the forefront globally. A news report from the end of last year clearly illustrated this point.

On December 24, 2025, a video released by the traffic police in Xiangtan, Hunan, captured several men riding electric bikes, with their personal information displayed in a green box, including "illegal behaviour," "illegal location," "name," "student status," "student ID," and "dormitory." The students featured in the video were from various institutions, such as a business school, an information engineering school, a mechanical engineering school, and an international education school. Following the public outcry over the video, the Xiangtan traffic police disabled the comment section and removed the video.

In fact, there are numerous videos on Chinese social media platforms where traffic police utilise "facial recognition" technology to uncover individuals' ID numbers, whether they possess a driver's license, and other personal details. A particular comment from a netizen resonated with me: "Forgot your ID? The traffic police can identify who you are in minutes using 'facial recognition.'"

This remark inevitably brings to mind the enigma of the significant number of missing persons in China.

So, how many people are actually missing in China?

According to a white paper on missing persons in China published by Sohu, approximately 1 million individuals were registered as missing in 2020, which equates to thousands of people disappearing each day. Civilian statistics suggest that in 2024, around 3.07 million people were recorded as missing online.

Reports indicate that China is at the forefront of digital surveillance, with traffic police able to access information on traffic violators within minutes. Is it really difficult to determine the whereabouts of missing persons, the reasons for their disappearance, or whether any crimes are involved? Clearly, it is not. Yet, in reality, a significant number of missing persons remain unaccounted for over long periods, and the reasons behind their disappearances are shrouded in mystery. Some internet users have sarcastically commented, 'In a country like China, which boasts a 'heavenly net that covers all, with nowhere to hide,' everything can be found except for missing persons.'

What does the stark contrast between the police's 'ability to identify you in minutes' and the large number of missing persons with no trace suggest? It implies that the high number of missing persons in China is not due to the police's inability to investigate, but rather that they are simply choosing not to investigate at all.

The issue of missing persons is crucial for social security and stability. The search for missing individuals, understanding the reasons behind their disappearances, and tackling the criminal activities that lead to mass disappearances are fundamental duties of the police. Why is it that they can investigate but opt not to? This raises suspicions of something more sinister at play. What could that be? Given the recent revelations about the Chinese Communist Party's secret organ harvesting practices, it is not hard to deduce that a significant portion of China's missing persons may be connected to this, with the CCP being the largest criminal organisation involved in organ harvesting. △