Parents who sexually abuse or abandon minors will lose custody

Parents who sexually abuse or abandon their children will be stripped of custody rights, according to a new government guideline released on Tuesday, as authorities seek to curb violence against and abuse of children.

The guideline on the handling of legal guardians who infringe upon the rights of minors, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, also stipulates that parents who sell their children or use violence against them will also lose legal custody rights.