BEIJING -- China has issued a guideline to make financial support a priority in abject poverty regions, a central bank statement said Monday.

Abject poverty areas should have priority in receiving newly-added financial capital and services, according to the guideline jointly issued by the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the China Banking Regulatory Commission, China Securities Regulatory Commission and China Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Annual credit growth in those areas should be higher than their provincial average levels by 2020, according to the PBOC statement.

Financial institutions are encouraged to increase credit support for poverty relief programs through relending, in which the central bank extends loans to commercial banks on the condition that they in turn lend to businesses in required sectors.

The guideline said the institutions needed to broaden channels of direct finance, including quick IPO approval for enterprises, in areas of abject poverty.