According to a secret investigation published on December 3 by The Paper, dozens of doll designs were openly sold with keywords such as “baby face,” “Lolita” and “young girl.” These findings sparked widespread outrage and led to public calls for greater protection for minors.
The issue gained traction after French consumer watchdogs released a report in November revealing that fashion brand Shein had been selling dolls that resembled children. Chinese netizens subsequently found similar products on domestic platforms, triggering an official investigation.
According to the investigation, these dolls ranged in height from 40 to 170 cm, often featuring childlike faces but adult bodies. They were made of silicone, plastic or rubber and some models also had heating or suction functions. Prices ranged from 230 to 3,700 yuan (about $30 to $520).
Although the listings have now been removed, many previous public comments praised the products, calling them “easy to use” or “very realistic.”
A sex doll manufacturing plant in Guangdong province, which has been in operation for over 10 years, has confirmed it exports to 96 countries and territories.
One worker revealed that the products were sometimes labeled as “exercise equipment” to avoid inspections. Another revealed that the shipments did not include identifiable factory information.
A Huizhou-based manufacturer has also included pregnant dolls in its catalogue, as well as models described as “170cm tall, chubby women”.
The topic has attracted enormous attention on Weibo, with more than 1 billion views and many users calling for stricter regulations.
Lawyer Sun Xuejie said the production and sale of child sex dolls could potentially constitute the crime of “production and distribution of obscene material” and would violate China’s child protection law.
He explained: “When child images are linked to pornographic content, this can firstly increase the risk of minors committing related crimes. Secondly, it also increases the danger of children being subjected to abuse.”
Major platforms such as Taobao, Pinduoduo, JD.com, Douyin and Xiaohongshu have all launched investigations into the sale of these products. A Dec. 4 survey by Sixth Tone found that search results for “baby-faced dolls” had largely disappeared, although some ads were still present on JD.com.
Authorities in several cities have joined the effort to investigate the companies involved. The Huizhou factory stopped production, and the Dongguan municipal government formed a task force and confiscated the discovered dolls.
Lawyer Sun noted that the current legal framework relating to child sex dolls remains unclear, including the definition of such products, standards for forensic evaluation, and the scope of sanctions. He expressed hope that the Supreme People’s Court will soon clarify the legal status and criminal responsibilities regarding the production, distribution and purchase of this type of dolls.
Sources: Znews
