"Impoverished counties" can still benefit from poverty-alleviation policies for a certain period after they have been lifted out poverty, Liu Yongfu, head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said on Sunday.

Extending favorable polices for these counties can help boost their development and prevent them from falling into poverty again, he said.

Some impoverished counties are reluctant to be graded as having been lifted out poverty by the Central government for fear they may lose favorable poverty-alienation policies, according to some media reports.

China has pledged to pull all people out of poverty by the end of 2020.