Chinese police say they rescued more than 20,000 abducted women and children across the country last year.

A report today from the Ministry of Public Security said police rescued 8,660 abducted children and 15,458 women in 2011 as nearly 3,200 human trafficking gangs were broken up.

Trafficking in women and children is a big problem in China, where traditional preference for male heirs and a strict one-child policy has driven a thriving market in baby boys, who fetch a considerably higher price than girls.

Girls and women also are abducted and used as labourers or as brides for unwed sons.

No figure was given for the total number of abductions last year. China's vast size and 1.3 billion pollution mean many such cases never get reported.

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