BEIJING — Premier Li Keqiang has stressed pushing forward with the ongoing campaign against women and children trafficking and stepping up efforts to protect these groups' legitimate rights and interests and safeguard social justice.

Premier Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in an instruction on a teleconference about combating human trafficking held on March 29.

The crackdown on human trafficking concerns family happiness and social tranquility, the instruction noted. It requires thorough investigations into related cases, rescuing the victims timeously, and ensuring proper follow-up settlement.

The involved criminals must be brought to justice and punished under the law, the instruction stressed, adding that governments at all levels and relevant authorities should take due responsibilities in the campaign.

Addressing the conference, State Councilor Zhao Kezhi called for an improved community-based system for preventing human trafficking and enhancing related legislation and public awareness.

China's Ministry of Public Security has launched a 10-month special operation to crack down on the abduction and trafficking of women and children starting from March 1.