E-commerce is likely to follow real estate as the next driving force to boost the economy, according to decisions made at an executive meeting of the State Council on Wednesday.

During the meeting, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, the government designated six fields - e-commerce came first - as crucial to increasing consumption.

The government is set to encourage online consumption by supporting the development of online shopping, helping deliveries of online purchases reach more people in rural areas, and improving the speed of broadband, according to a statement released after the meeting.