BEIJING - Chinese police on Sunday launched a mobile app to encourage witnesses to report the whereabouts of missing or trafficked children.

More than 5,000 anti-trafficking police will provide updates to the app on receiving new reports of missing children, according to a statement from the criminal investigation bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.

Users near where the child disappeared will receive push notifications, including photos and descriptions.

The scope of these push notifications will be expanded over time.

Information will be available to the public at the platform's official Sina Weibo account.

Police will cooperate with new media outlets and mobile apps to encourage the public to help in anti-trafficking work.