A horrifying near-abduction has been captured on CCTV in China.

The footage, captured on Friday afternoon (local time), shows a woman standing in the street and watching children play near a shop in Pingdingshan, in China's Henan province.

After watching for a short amount of time, the woman uses a toy to separate a three-year-old girl from the group. She then picks her up and carries her away.

The abduction was reported to police by the toddler's father after he noticed she was missing, according to City Report.

At the same time, police received a call from a motorcycle taxi driver who was suspicious of his female passenger, carrying a young girl who "wouldn't stop crying".

"I asked the woman if she was a human trafficker, as the little girl just kept crying," he told police.

"Then I asked the girl if she knew the adult. She replied 'no'."

The woman was arrested two hours later near the entrance of a highway, according to City Report.

The abductor, who was deaf-mute, told police via a sign language interpreter that she had been paid 10,000 yuan (NZ$2171) to abduct children.

The toddler was rescued and returned to her parents. She is not injured, and police are investigating.

Newshub.