By Zhu Hang

　　On a map, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River twist and turn. In one of the turns sits Jingzhou city. The river’s "golden waterway",483 kilometers long, runs through the city area, accounting for nearly half of the Yangtze River’s total length within Hubei Province, where Jingzhou is situated.
　　The Jingzhou Branch of the Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau (hereafter as the Jingzhou Branch) has been diligently upholding the environmental sustainability of water resources and ensuring the safety and well-being of residents in the surrounding areas. Additionally, the bureau has made significant contributions to the protection strategy of the Yangtze River and high-quality development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

　　A River Pure and Abundant
　　"Look! River dolphins!" On November 13, 2022, a group of 30 Yangtze finless porpoises was spotted in the Shishou section of the Yangtze River. Witnesses saw the porpoises leaping high into the air and gracefully twirling in the clear river water, displaying remarkable vitality.
　　Long ago, this was a common sight for locals as they walked along the river. However, due to the rapid and rude economic development model of the past, the Jingzhou section of the Yangtze River became polluted, and the environmental situation deteriorated. The biological integrity index of the Yangtze River even reached the lowest possible level – there weren’t even any fish. Since 2000, large-scale sand mining activities in the Yangtze River has become increasingly prevalent. Driven by substantial profits, a significant number of sand mining ships operated illegally, causing extensive damage to the riverbed and resulting in numerous potholes. The water quality of the Yangtze River worsened and the entire water area became contaminated, with turbidity becoming a serious problem. The nearby ecology suffered significant damage, leading to a sharp decline in fish numbers. It became evident that fishing and sand mining needed to be prohibited to allow the river’s ecosystem to recover. On January 1, 2020, key areas of the Yangtze River Basin officially came under a "ten-year fishing ban". On March 1, 2021, China implemented its first river basin protection law, the Yangtze River Protection Law.
　　The comprehensive protection strategy for the Yangtze River is pivotal in reversing the decline of its ecological environment. Since its implementation, the Jingzhou Branch of the Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau has taken a practical approach tailored to the particular conditions within its jurisdiction. They have effectively utilized the functions of law enforcement agencies to rigorously combat illegal and criminal activities that impact the environment along the Yangtze River.
　　In June 2019, during the bureau’s "River Cleaning Operation",officers from the Jingzhou Branch encountered a ship loaded with over 3,200 tons of sand of unclear origin. There was something very suspicious. The officers immediately launched an investigation, going to great lengths to visit multiple municipalities provinces for evidence, including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, and Chongqing. Ultimately, they unveiled an underground industrial network involved in illegal mining, transportation, and sale of river sand. A total of 66 individuals were arrested, 30 of whom were prosecuted and penalized as criminal suspects. Additionally, 25 ships connected to the case were placed under police investigation. The total volume of river sand involved in the case exceeded 100,000 tons, with a monetary value exceeding 10 million yuan.
　　In December 2020, the Jingzhou Branch received information about an illegal fishing operation along the Jingzhou section of the Yangtze River. Through careful organization and comprehensive efforts, they successfully built a case against a suspect surnamed Zhang and others for illegal fishing. The criminal gang was swiftly dismantled, resulting in the arrest of 14 suspects, while 17 restaurants faced administrative penalties, and two locations used for the illegal sale and transportation of river fish were cleared. Furthermore, one speedboat and two fishing tankers were confiscated, with officers seizing over half a ton of aquatic products worth more than 820,000 yuan. Thanks to the continuous and rigorous crackdown on significant river-related crimes, campaigns such as the Yangtze River Fishing Ban and other special initiatives targeting illegal sand mining have yielded positive results.
　　To safeguard the healthy development of the Yangtze River water ecosystem, it is essential not only to crack down on illegal activities along the river but also to restore and rehabilitate the damaged ecosystem. In June 2018, in the National Dolphin Reservation on Swan Island, Hubei Province, eight individuals illegally fished using electric fishing equipment. They even recorded their activities on their mobile phones and shared the footage on messaging app WeChat, resulting in a highly negative social impact. When the case was resolved, with the mediation of the Jingzhou Branch, the suspects agreed to purchase 300,000 silver carp and 340,000 bighead carp at their own expense, totaling 19,200 yuan. These funds were allocated to support efforts in ecological restoration. Under the supervision of the Public Security Bureau, the Procuratorate, the court, and the Reservation staff, the offenders were directed to replenish the lost population through artificial hatching and release methods.
　　According to statistics, since 2018, the Jingzhou Branch has taken measures against a total of 339 criminal cases involving 344 individuals who were charged with illegal fishing and sand mining, actions that have had detrimental effects on the environment of the Yangtze River. Over the past five years, incidents of illegal fishing and sand mining in the Jingzhou section of the Yangtze River have decreased by an impressive 98%, and illegal fishing methods involving the use of poisons, explosives, or electric shocks to catch large quantities of fish have basically been eradicated.
　　On the Yangtze River, the adorable finless porpoises are splashing again! They are indeed "Giant Pandas of the River".

　　A Safety Barrier
　　In 2019, in response to the need for an improved police response mechanism and to align with the national protection strategy for the Yangtze River, the Jingzhou Branch introduced the Yangtze River (Jingzhou) 110 Protection mobile app. This innovative platform incorporates AI elements into emergency reporting, making it more convenient for the public to report suspicious activities, request police assistance, and ensure their safe travel.
　　Since its introduction, police have received over 1,000 tip-offs through the app. This has led to the resolution of numerous cases related to illegal fishing, sand mining, and identity and telecommunications fraud. The app has also helped to locate missing persons and disseminate real-time updates from the Yangtze River police. It has evolved into an essential platform for collaboration between the police and citizens to combat illegal activities, protect the interests of the public, and facilitate information exchange.
　　"Attention, tourists! Kindly keep your distance from the river to prevent the risk of drowning!" During the summer of 2021, multiple drones broadcast this warning while hovering over the crowds at Baotawan park in Jingzhou. Concurrently, the drones captured images from six observation points along the river and transmitted them in real-time to a command center. This provided a comprehensive view of vehicle traffic and human activity for 50 kilometers along the Yangtze River.
　　In 2020, the Jingzhou Branch introduced police service drones for the first time, establishing a police aviation unit made up of 24 professional drone pilots. These drones, operating under unified command from the River Command Platform and the Mobile Command Center, provide uninterrupted surveillance day and night. To date, they have completed a total of 356 flights, amounting to over 5,000 minutes of flight time. "Since 2020, leveraging this real-time visual platform, our Water Command Platform and Mobile Command Center have responded to more than 300 dispatch calls, contributing to drowning rescues, emergency incidents managment, case investigations, and evidence collection. This enables us to fulfill our commitment to ensuring a safe environment along the entire Yangtze River area, including its land, water, and air," stated Hu Wei, captain of the police aviation team at the Bureau.
　　In April 2021, the Ministry of Public Security convened a promotional conference in Wuhan, Hubei Province, aimed at enhancing the role of public security agencies in ensuring high-quality development along the Yangtze River Economic Belt. During the conference, a regional police cooperation agreement was formalized between the Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau and various public security agencies at the municipal and provincial levels along the Yangtze River. The primary objective of this agreement was to establish three cooperation circles, one in each of the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, with the river itself serving as the central axis. This framework created what has been commonly referred to as a "one line with three circles" working model, designed to maximize the efficiency of collaborative operations. Over the past two years, based on the terms of this agreement, the officers of the Jingzhou Branch of the Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau successfully uncovered Hubei Province’s first ship insurance fraud case. Additionally, working with other police agencies, they jointly investigated 40 criminal cases of illegal fishing and sand mining. This collaborative approach established a new and comprehensive Yangtze River policing strategy that integrates services both along the river and on land.

　　A Secure Yangtze River
　　In September 2022, shouts of "Move quickly, speed up!"resounded across the waters of Lanxing island in Jianglin county, where a water rescue competition was in full swing. Upon hearing the urgent order "Hurry, someone is drowning! Hurry up for the rescue!"competitors from various police forces sprang into action on the 120-meter track set up by the river. They sprinted while carrying a life-saving robot on their shoulders. Once onto the shore, they swiftly activated the robot and launched it into the river. Another team member skillfully operated the robot using a remote control, guiding it toward the person in distress 100 meters out in the water. The rescue operation drill was a success.
　　The Jingzhou Branch claims to have implemented 10 police policies aimed at preventing drowning, and established 10 safety protection objectives. The police in the area have been equipped with new water rescue equipment, including water rescue robots, life-saving frisbees, and telescopic poles. They regularly organize training competitions and engage in outreach activities at ports, docks, ships, companies, and campuses to promote awareness and knowledge about drowning prevention. Since 2018, they have carried out over 400 anti-drowning initiatives, rescuing more than 70 individuals from drowning incidents. Furthermore, they have successfully persuaded more than 3,000 individuals to refrain from swimming and playing in the Yangtze River. The anti-drowning campaign has had a positive impact on more than 400,000 people.
　　Thanks to the comprehensive protection strategy for the Yangtze River, humanity coexist amazingly with the river in the Jingzhou section. Today, the mighty Yangtze flows eastward, vigorously and calmly.■
　　
　　(By the Jingzhou Branch of the Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau)
　　(Translated by Wei Dong)