BEIJING, Sept. 23 -- China's Ministry of Water Resources called for further improvement of sedimentation in the Yellow River to safeguard the long-term stability of the river.

The ministry called for prioritizing water conservation, improving the allocation of water resources and stepping up efforts to protect instream flows.

In terms of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, the ministry underscored that more efforts should be made to protect water resources.

The ministry demands that officials protect the ecological environment of key rivers and lakes, gradually restore the damaged water ecosystems and improve the system of lake chiefs and river chiefs so as to sustainably improve the ecosystems of rivers and lakes.

Authorities should insist on water and soil conservation, strictly control man-made soil erosion and further reduce sediment deposition in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, said the ministry.

The ministry also called for systematic protection of cultural heritage along the Yellow River and improvement of the monitoring system of the water conservation sector.