BEIJING — China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has established a leading group for high-quality development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, setting out tasks including a severe crackdown on offenses in the region, the MPS said on March 17.

Apart from a 10-year fishing moratorium and a ban on illegal sand mining along the country's longest river, public security organs will also take strong measures against crimes related to smuggling, attempts to threaten food security and damage to the ecological environment, and wild animal and plant resources, according to the MPS.

Public security organs will reform the household registration system in the region, reducing or removing restrictions on registration of permanent residency in urban areas.

The MPS will also protect market entities of all sorts, and safeguard the Yangtze River as an important international navigation channel by establishing green channels for ships transporting key cargo.