BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Public Security has decided to launch a 10-month special operation to crack down on abduction and trafficking of women and children starting from March 1 amid efforts to better protect these groups.

Special efforts should be made to identify woman and child vagrants and beggars, as well as those who are mentally challenged or have verbal and hearing disabilities with unknown origins, according to a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday after a teleconference to launch the operation.