"We offer physical examinations, psychological consultations, free accommodations and education to vagrant kids before they reunite with their families," said Sun Haiyu, director of relief management office with the department.

From April 23 until Sunday, the regional government had sent teams of investigators to search for vagrant children in 19 provinces and municipalities that regularly offer aid to Xinjiang, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.

"The search work is now advancing smoothly," Sun said. "We'll work closely with the civil affairs departments in these provinces and cities, and set up a long-term, effective channel to bring vagrant children back home."

A report from the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences said at least 90 percent of the children it is trying to return home are victims of kidnapping. Most of them are from poor areas in southern Xinjiang, including Hotan, Aksu and Kashgar, where child trafficking is rampant.

Many of the children receive little schooling and are too young to know their parents' addresses or phone numbers well enough to give that information to authorities.

The Ministry of Public Security vowed on April 26 to spare no efforts in trying to save children from Xinjiang who had been kidnapped and forced to commit crimes.

Police departments across the country began a severe crackdown on those who kidnap Xinjiang children and force them to commit crimes, according to Zhang Xinfeng, vice-minister of public security.

Zhang said the crackdown is aimed at protecting the rights of children and ensuring the social stability of Xinjiang and the entire country.

Last week, police in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, rescued nine young Xinjiang natives who had been kidnapped and forced to rob and steal. They also cut off a channel used to bring kidnapped children from Xinjiang to Wenzhou.

Police in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, saved six young Xinjiang natives, ranging in age from 13 to 15, on Monday. They also apprehended 12 suspects.