BEIJING, April 8 -- The Chinese central government will continue to support urban renewal projects this year, focusing on addressing the pressing concerns of the people and driving high-quality urban development, the Ministry of Finance announced Tuesday.

According to a statement on the ministry's website, the government will explore ways to establish a sustainable urban renewal mechanism, tackle gaps and weaknesses in urban infrastructure, and boost the construction of consumption-oriented infrastructure.

In 2025, financial support for urban renewal will target large cities and metropolises, with no more than 20 cities selected. Priority will be given to mega and super-large cities, as well as large cities along key river basins such as the Yellow River and the Pearl River.

The central government will provide fixed subsidies to the selected cities based on their regions. Specifically, the total subsidy per city in the eastern region will not exceed 800 million yuan (about 111.05 million U.S. dollars), in the central region not more than 1 billion yuan, and in the western region and for municipalities directly under the central government, not more than 1.2 billion yuan. Funds will be allocated annually according to the progress of the projects.

The selected cities are expected to use the subsidy to significantly improve urban underground pipelines and other infrastructure within three years.

The efficiency of domestic sewage collection and treatment will be further enhanced in the selected cities, and the living environments in old urban areas will see remarkable advancements, according to the statement.