A total of 213 places with noticeable results in implementing major national policies in 2019 will be rewarded with stimulus and support, said a circular released by the General Office of the State Council on May 8.

The decision is intended to create positive incentives and mobilize the initiative and creativity of local regions in pushing forward reform and development.

The policies cover areas such as winning the "three tough battles" — preventing financial risk, reducing poverty and tackling pollution, carrying out the rural revitalization strategy, creating a better business environment through administration streamlining, expanding domestic demands, boosting innovation-driven development, and safeguarding people’s livelihoods.

China faces arduous tasks for reform, development and stability as it aims to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects this year, also the concluding year of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), said the circular.

Due to new challenges brought by the COVID-19 epidemic, socio-economic targets are now harder to attain, with tasks more difficult and requirements more stringent, highlighting the urgency for all forces to play an active part.

With regular epidemic prevention and control measures in place, local departments should power social and economic growth following the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, as well as new development concepts, it said.

Deep reform and opening-up, and supply-side structural reform also were stressed at the same time.

The circular listed laudable accomplishments in those places, including poverty-relief relocation programs, “river chief” and “lake chief” systems, better living environment in rural areas, cultivation of strategic emerging industries, sounder business environment, and university-industry cooperation.