BEIJING - A vagrant boy sat all huddled up in a corner of Beijing Railway Station, trying to keep himself warm in the chilly wind on Tuesday afternoon.

He could only remember that he was 16 and that his home was far away from Beijing but failed to provide other vital information such as his name or home address.

Two officials from the social assistance center for the homeless in Beijing's Dongcheng district came to his assistance within half an hour of receiving a passer-by's call. The boy was taken to the center's office for some paper work and then sent to a shelter for the homeless in Fengtai district.