BEIJING, Jan. 25 -- Chinese officials in poverty-stricken counties can stop worrying too much about regional GDP figures from now on, as the central authorities have moved to make poverty relief the priority for their work.

The country will reform the evaluation system for officials from poor counties by prioritizing the work of poverty reduction rather than the regional GDP, according to a guideline released Saturday jointly by the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the Cabinet.

GDP figures will no longer be a standard for counties with fragile ecology or where development is restricted by the government to ensure sustainable growth, the guideline said.

"The country will take improving the livelihood of people in poverty and reducing poor population as major indicators" to guide officials in poor regions to put their work priority on poverty relief, it said.