BEIJING — The government will not reduce financial assistance to needy people but keep it increasing, said Minister of Civil Affairs Huang Shuxian at a national civil affairs conference that closed on April 3.

The priority in the near future is to increase the civil affairs service at the primary level and increase personnel at county, township and village levels, Huang said at the two-day meeting.

China has allocated more than 840 billion yuan (about $125 billion) from the central budget for minimum living allowances, medical aid and financial assistance to people in special difficulties, and for emergency aid from 2013 to 2018, according the ministry.

The standard minimum living allowance in urban areas increased by 9.2 percent annually from 2013 to 2018, and 14.7 percent for rural areas.