BEIJING - China's Ministry of Culture has issued a plan calling for targeted poverty alleviation in the cultural field during 2016-2020.

The plan, for the 13th Five-Year Plan period, comes as the country aims to create a moderately prosperous society by 2020, with a key goal to eradicate poverty.

It focuses on artistic creation, modern public cultural services, protecting cultural heritage and development of the cultural industry in poor regions.

Guided by the socialist core values, the ministry said it would step up support in policy and finance, primarily targeting ethnic minority regions, border regions, old revolutionary base areas and concentrated poverty areas.

The central budget will allocate 3,000 yuan (over 441.35 U.S. dollars) for individual theatrical performances to be held every two months in townships in these regions.

There were 43.35 million people living in poverty in China at the end of 2016.