bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Zoey Zhang

A father in southern China made his three young children kneel in the middle of a busy road in a bid to force the return of his estranged wife, sparking outrage on mainland social media.
On August 15, a police officer in Foshan, Guangdong province, discovered the youngsters during a patrol.
They were all under the age of seven, the youngest being only two years old, according to Southern Metropolis Daily.
Videos circulating on social media show vehicles passing close to them while their father sits in a roadside flower bed, watching passively.
Police quickly moved the youngsters to a safe area and issued a warning to the father. The children were unharmed.

Southern Metropolis Daily reported that the 30-year-old father, identified as Ling, said he was unable to contact his wife after an argument so he told their children to kneel in the road thinking it would make her respond.
His wife had reportedly returned to her hometown after deciding she wanted a separation, and refused to have any contact with him.
The reason for the quarrel is unclear.
On August 16, Foshan city government officials said that Ling and his three children had left the city and returned to their registered residence, not mentioning the specific location.
The incident has become a hot topic on mainland social media, with 63 million views on Weibo at the time of writing.
“It’s shameful and hateful that a father does not know how to love and take care of his children,” one Weibo user wrote.
“Using children as hostages like this is child abuse and violates the children’s right to personal safety,” said another.
“My father was the same as Ling. When I was young, my mother wanted to divorce him, he refused and locked me in the house in an attempt to coerce her back,” a Weibo user wrote.

In China, minor infringements on children’s rights can result in up to five days of detention or a warning.
There have been other reports of extreme parenting practices across the country.
On July 20, a two-year-old boy in southern China was struck by a car after his parents made him practise walking by crossing a motorway, according to NetEase News.
In June, a parenting blogger from eastern China put his seven-month-old son in an unprotected climbing net and on a rolling skateboard, saying it would enhance the baby’s physical development.


China auto company VP faces backlash after video shows him eating hotpot in car

China policeman acts as couple’s dead son for a decade to comfort ailing mother

Disgraced China basketball legend brings attention to other mainland stars’ sex scandals

China public figures, celebrities whose philanthropy makes significant impact

Trending in China

China father makes children kneel on busy road in bid to force return of estranged wife

A father in China who made his three young children kneel in the middle of a busy road in a bizarre bid to force the return of his estranged wife has been slammed on social media. Photo: Douyin

A viral video shows the three youngsters walking alone on the busy road. Photo: YouTube

After leading the father away from the scene, police gave him a warning. Photo: YouTube

Bone-breaking surgery to boost height leaves China pair disabled for life

A man and woman in China who underwent height-boosting surgery have been left disabled for life. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo

The “height-boosting” surgery left the man with legs of different lengths. Photo: UDN.com

The surgery involves breaking leg bones and then using a metal stretching device. Photo: Baidu

Limbless Japan wife and mother shows online bullies disabled people deserve happiness

A Japanese woman with severe disabilities has proved online bullies wrong by finding love and building a family. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com/IG@sanoami.official

Sano has faced and overcome malicious attacks from complete strangers online. Photo: Weixin

Pride and joy: Sano gave birth to her daughter Mei with the help of artificial insemination. Photo: Weixin

China man awaiting sex reassignment surgery sues hospital over forced electroshock therapy

A Chinese man awaiting gender reassignment surgery is suing a hospital he claims gave him electroshock treatment against his will. Photo: SCMP composite/Baidu/Sohu

Linger has been saving the money he makes from live-streaming to pay for surgery. Photo: Baidu

Studies show that around four million people identify as transgender in China. Photo: SCMP

Critics of China Olympic diving queen Quan Hongchan slammed for ‘uneducated idiot’ insults

Critics of China’s Olympic diving queen Quan Hongchan have faced an online backlash after they described her as an “idiot” and accused her of being uneducated. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/Sohu/China.com.cn

Some media critics have accused the young athlete of juvenile behaviour. Photo: Xinhua

Quan was a firm favourite in Paris, where at one point, fans showered her with toys. Photo: TikTok

China woman weighing 50kg left infertile after having liposuction to lose ‘little belly’

A 50-kg Chinese woman who had liposuction to remove a “little belly” has been left infertile as a result. Photo; SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Societal pressure has seen some women turn to cosmetic surgery to ease their feelings of appearance anxiety. Photo: Shutterstock

In a culture that frequently focuses on idealised standards of beauty, many women may feel inadequate or dissatisfied with their looks. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Police deal with worrying incident that attracts at least 63 million views on Weibo, sparks wave of online outrage


A video that attracted 63 million online views, shows traffic in China hurtling past three youngsters forced by their father to sit in the middle of a busy road in a misguided attempt to make his estranged wife return home.


Parenting: newborns to toddlers

Children in China