Chinese Man Kidnapped at Age 4 Reunites with Family After 14 Years and Gets Accepted to Prestigious University

Movie 'Chin-aideo' Real Protagonist
Kidnapped at Age 4, Reunited with Parents After 14 Years
Congratulations Follow News of Admission to Prestigious Local University

A Chinese man who was kidnapped as a child and reunited with his parents after 14 years has been accepted into a prestigious local university.

On the 2nd, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that 21-year-old Sun Zhuo (孫卓), the real-life model for the 2014 film "Qin Ai De" (親愛的·Dear Liest), received an acceptance letter from Nanjing University of Technology in China at the end of last month. This university is a prestigious local institution specializing in science and technology fields such as chemistry and biotechnology. Sun is scheduled to enroll this fall in the Department of Physics and Mathematical Sciences, majoring in physics.

Movie poster for 'Cider'. [Image source=Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP)]

Sun was kidnapped near his home in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in October 2007 when he was four years old and sold to a family in Shandong Province. His parents, including his father Sun Haiyang, searched tirelessly across the country for 14 years to find their son. During this process, they sold their possessions to raise the necessary funds and even offered a reward of up to $31,000 (approximately 42.5 million KRW) to learn about their son's whereabouts. After many efforts, they were finally able to reunite with their long-awaited son in December 2021.

At that time, the police confirmed Sun's identity using facial recognition technology and DNA testing. This case became the inspiration for the film "Qin Ai De," which portrays the hardships of families desperately searching for their missing children. The film played a significant role in raising awareness about the seriousness of child abduction and human trafficking in China.

Since the film's release, Chinese authorities have operated a missing children information-sharing system since 2016, using facial recognition technology and genetic testing to find over 8,000 missing children. However, it is estimated that around 20,000 children are still kidnapped annually in China and adopted by families domestically and abroad.

Local netizens are pouring out messages of support for Sun, who overcame childhood hardships to gain university admission. One netizen said, "Despite the difficulties of adapting to a new environment, he quickly adjusted and achieved remarkable results in the university entrance exam," while another wished him "a happy and enjoyable university life," adding, "The first 20 years were tough, but I hope your future life will be smooth," blessing his future.