BEIJING, Nov. 10(Xinhuanet)-- China has set a target to increase investment in education to 4 percent of GDP to further promote education for all people.

At at press conference here Thursday, Zhang Xinsheng, vice minister of education, said education investment in China accountsfor 3.41 percent of GDP at present.

Statistics show that China's GDP reached 13.65 trillion yuan(about 1.69 trillion US dollars) in 2004.

Zhang said that great progress has been scored in recent years in basic popularization of nine-year compulsory education and basic elimination of illiteracy of the youth and middle-aged.

Advancement in compulsory education in rural areas has been achieved. The total investment in primary and junior middle schools in rural areas in 2004 reached 164.4 billion yuan, according to Zhang.

The Chinese government earmarked 88.6 billion yuan to rural primary schools and 44 billion yuan to rural junior middle schools, up 150 percent and 130 percent over 2000, respectively, Zhang added. Enditem