BEIJING—The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Internet giant Alibaba have jointly upgraded a mobile map application to show the locations of free DNA collection points for lost children and their parents.

More than 3,300 DNA collection points, most of which are in police stations, have been labeled and located on the map named AMAP, enabling parents and lost children to have their DNA information added to a nationwide database.

The job was done thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Alibaba and AMAP.

DNA matching increases the possibility and shortens the timeframe for reuniting parents and lost children. However, many parents don’t know the DNA database exists or where to find information.

According to the MPS, the DNA database has helped reunite over 4,700 children with their families, after many of the children have been lost for years.

In 2016, the ministry and Alibaba jointly launched a system that releases information about lost children on popular mobile applications.

As of Sept 1, it had released information on 1,918 children and helped locate 1,847 lost children across China, including 41 who had been abducted.