Authorities in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, released a notification on Monday addressing safety concerns of left-behind children in the city during the summer vacation, reports Chinanews.com.

Photo shows the 9-year-old girl Zhang Zixin (left) and the couple who took her from her family, seen walking on a street in Xiangshan, Zhejiang Province. [Photo: China Plus/xiangshan.gov.cn]

The move came after an abduction case of a 9-year-old Hangzhou girl Zhang Zixin who has been confirmed dead due to drowning, after she had been abducted by a couple who were tenants of her family. Police said the case is believed to be a murder-suicide, because the culprits' bodies were also recovered from a lake. The case has garnered nationwide attention.

The notification mainly targets left-behind children, and includes plans for education on raising awareness of safety, stronger supervision of entertainment venues as well as calling for more attention from the public.

Left-behind children playing games on a school yard in Shandong Province, July 10, 2019. [File photo: IC]

The notification urges parents, schools and relevant organizations to work together to better protect left-behind children.

There were nearly 7 million left-behind children in China by 2018, says a report from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs.