China's stimulus package mostly for masses

BEIJING, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- China's top economic planning agency says the country's $586 billion economic stimulus package will mostly go to helping ordinary people.

The 4 trillion-yuan package to be spent in the next two years was announced early last month as China faces major economic challenges, including a lower growth rate, declining demands for its exports and rising unemployment in the face of the global financial crisis.

In announcing how the stimulus package's resources will be used, the National Development and Reform Commission said priority will be given to projects that help improve people's livelihood, including those in rural areas, housing projects for the urban poor and social undertakings, Xinhua reported.

The commission said infrastructural construction -- including railroads, highways and water conservancy projects -- and environmental protection will also be given high priority, the state-run Chinese news agency said.