Villages in China all connected to broadband internet service

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's administrative villages had all been connected to broadband internet services by the end of November, authorities said on Thursday.

This is a historic achievement in solving the communication difficulties in poor areas, Xie Cun, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said during a press conference, adding that this achievement will provide solid internet support for China's rural vitalization and modernization.

Since 2015, the country has allocated a total of more than 22 billion yuan (about 3.46 billion U.S. dollars) to support the building of communication networks in rural and remote regions, according to Zou Suping, an official with the Ministry of Finance.

Efforts have been made to ensure the affordability of internet services and promote the development of education and healthcare in rural areas.

As for the future, China will continue to provide policy and financial support, improve the rural internet infrastructure and promote the digital development of rural areas, Xie said.