Elderly Parents Who Lost Their Only Child in China Must Beware of "Mysterious Disappearances"

Elderly individuals repeatedly face obstacles in finding reemployment. Pictured here is a group of elderly people gathered at a street corner in Shanghai.

[People News] On November 19, multiple videos circulated online showing an incident in Guangzhou's Xihua Road, where police shot and killed an elderly man with white hair wielding a knife outside a crowded mahjong parlor. Reports indicate the man approached one of the police officers surrounding him with a knife, allegedly posing a threat to the officer.

Due to the recent surge in incidents involving disillusioned and unemployed individuals retaliating against society, such as the Zhuhai car-ramming attack, authorities have initiated a "band-aid" approach to identify so-called "Four Without" and "Five Lost" individuals: Four Without: "Without spouse or children, without a job or stable income, without normal communication ability, and without assets such as a house or car." Five Lost: "Lost in investment, disheartened in life, estranged in relationships, mentally unstable, and suffering from mental illness." Additionally, individuals who are "unemployed, emotionally disillusioned, unsupervised in youth," or have low economic income, low social status, little social recognition, limited interpersonal interactions, and restricted mobility or access to resources are also being scrutinized.

On November 14, reports surfaced online that over 100 elderly individuals in Tianjin, who lost their only child, protested outside the local health supervision office. They demanded the government fulfill its promise of providing retirement support for such families, as many are left without care. Protesters held banners and flags, chanting slogans like "Family Planning Commission—Big Liars" and "Today Tianjin, Tomorrow Beijing." Some even wore labels saying, "Losing a Child Is Not a Crime, Petitioning Is Justified," to advocate for the government's commitment to their welfare.

Local sources reported that authorities identified and detained the so-called "leaders" planning to take their petition to Beijing. Meanwhile, in Zhuhai, reports emerged of elderly individuals living alone who have recently "disappeared."

This crackdown signals a potentially grim future for the vulnerable "parents who lost their only child." The CCP views any incident that could undermine regime stability as a paramount threat and aims to "eliminate all factors heading to Beijing at their root." History shows that the CCP addresses individuals, not the root problems, of events it perceives as threats to its rule. For example, during the April 25, 1999, peaceful demonstration by Falun Gong practitioners in Tianjin, local police encouraged them to "go to Beijing," leading to their eventual persecution. Secret orders followed: "Beat them to death, count it as suicide. No identification, cremation directly." Policies were implemented to "ruin their reputation, bankrupt them financially, and destroy them physically."

One netizen remarked that, based on Zhuhai's "Four Without" and "Five Lost" criteria, as much as "90% of the population" might fall under these categories. They questioned, "What does the CCP intend to do after identifying these people? Strict control? Preventative measures? Isolation? If not, then why bother with the crackdown?"

Many believe the probability of these targeted elderly individuals being detained for "stability maintenance" is extremely high. 

The CCP has a documented history of arbitrarily detaining "political prisoners" who might "cause trouble if released." These individuals are often held indefinitely, sometimes until they lose their ability to speak or act—or simply disappear. The regime particularly targets those without family, friends, or social connections, acting without restraint. For example, when Falun Gong practitioners were arrested after traveling to Beijing to appeal, many refused to disclose their names or hometowns to avoid implicating colleagues or family members. This anonymity, however, made them prime targets for forced organ harvesting. Since no one would inquire about their fate, these atrocities were carried out with little oversight or pressure.

While the elderly may not be prime candidates for organ harvesting due to their age and declining organ quality, they may be detained in psychiatric hospitals, caves, or other secret facilities for alternative uses, such as medical experiments. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been persistent suspicions about the CCP’s involvement in developing experimental treatments or vaccines. Could the regime require large numbers of clinical trial subjects for these purposes? Additionally, medical experiments aimed at extending the lives of senior CCP officials may also demand large-scale clinical trials. As of now, it remains unclear how the CCP sources the individuals needed for such experiments, but the possibility is troubling.

In the past, figures like Bo Xilai profited from plastination projects in Dalian, where bodies were used to create "plasticized cadavers" for exhibitions. Such practices highlight the grim reality that the disappearance of any individual in China can deeply disturb anyone with a conscience. Reports of beggars and homeless individuals vanishing from cities, with suspicions they are being held in secret facilities for such purposes, only deepen these fears. Younger individuals are believed to be stored as organ "reserves."

Political commentator Li Linyi observes that while laws are supposed to regulate actions, not thoughts, the CCP seeks to control thoughts at their inception. This intensifying and expanding control could lead to terrifying outcomes.

Former Chinese rights lawyer Teng Biao told foreign media that the CCP views people as "evolved animals" without fundamental rights. As the economy deteriorates, the regime targets marginalized groups and victims of social injustice, scapegoating them as the source of societal problems. Teng described a deeply corrupt, chaotic, and self-destructive society under CCP rule, offering no hope for its people.

The mistreatment of nameless political prisoners as expendable "animals" is no longer news in China.

A promotional video from the CCP’s 301 Hospital, which serves top officials, once revealed a goal to extend the lifespan of CCP leaders to 150 years. By comparison, elderly parents who lost their only child, aged between 70 and 80, are still considered relatively young.

Given this context, the recent disappearances of elderly individuals in Zhuhai and Tianjin should raise serious alarms. Could their fates serve as yet another grim reminder of the CCP's capacity for cruelty?