BEIJING - China invested about 4.3 billion yuan ($656 million) in boosting cultural progress and tourism development in impoverished rural areas during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), an official with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Wednesday.

The grants were used to fund opera performances, purchase facilities for cultural centers in rural areas, and support tourist projects in impoverished regions, said Li Qun, vice-minister of culture and tourism, at a news conference.

So far, China has trained more than 10,000 cultural specialists for deeply impoverished areas, Li added.

More than 700 special training courses have been launched to empower the rural poor so that they can rise above poverty by developing culture and tourism, Li said.