BEIJING, Oct. 11 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council decree unveiling a regulation on the protection of water sources of the Miyun Reservoir in the northeast suburb of Beijing.

The new regulation, which will take effect on Dec. 1, 2025, sets out overall requirements, specific measures and policy support to bolster both the green development of the Miyun Reservoir basin and the water security of China's capital.

To further beef up protection of this reservoir's water sources, the regulation emphasizes the principle of prioritizing protection, while also coordinating protection and development.

The Beijing municipal government and the Hebei provincial government should work together to formulate a comprehensive plan regarding the protection of the reservoir's water sources, according to this new regulation.

Originally built for flood prevention and control purposes, the Miyun Reservoir, located in the Miyun District of the capital, is the largest reservoir in north China and an important surface drinking water source for Beijing.

Efforts should be strengthened to prevent and control pollution in the Miyun Reservoir basin -- including delimiting livestock and poultry prohibited zones, implementing agricultural pollution control, and enhancing rural domestic waste and sewage treatment, the regulation notes.

The new regulation also stresses the need to enhance law enforcement in this regard -- vowing to crack down on illegal acts that undermine the reservoir's water sources.

Supportive policies concerning resource allocation and green industrial development will be implemented to promote the green development of the Miyun Reservoir basin, the regulation says, while encouraging financial institutions to offer financial services suitable for achieving this target.