The Chinese government will allocate almost four billion yuan (US$533 million) to "culture centers" in poor rural areas for the 11th five-year plan period ending 2010, said State Councilor Chen Zhili on Thursday.

The fund would be used to build or expand 26,700 rural culture centers nationwide, said Chen at a national televised conference.

"By 2010, every village in China will have a culture center," she said. It has been the biggest central government investment in rural cultural infrastructure projects since the country's opening-up almost three decades ago.

Chen stressed "high quality" must be ensured in building rural culture centers, which usually contained libraries, small stadiums and theatres, and should offer education, information, recreation and sports facilities.

The culture centers should be non-profit and provide "affordable" services to the rural public, Chen said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2007)