BEIJING -- China will push forward the development of the country’s charity causes and guide social forces to engage in charity endeavors, the State Council said.

The government must make innovations in mechanism to make charity, national security and relief systems connect and complement each other, said a statement issued after an executive meeting of the State Council.

China will improve policies of tax cuts and exemptions for philanthropic donations and roll out more measures to encourage charity endeavors, the statement said.

Development of charity organizations engaging in helping poverty-stricken people will be prioritized by the government, it said.

The statement added that self-discipline inside the charity sector and social supervision should both be strengthened to make charity organizations more trustworthy and bring the benefits of charity to more people.