BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Beijing will offer 100 million yuan (14.5 million U.S. dollars) to support the development of physical bookshops in 2019, the municipal government has said.

A total of 151 bookshops received 50 million yuan in special funds in 2018, and the number of bookshops will be increased to 200 in the new year, as part of government efforts to promote reading, said Wang Yefei, head of the city's press and publication administration.

The city government introduced an implementation guideline to promote the development of bookshops in July 2018. An estimated 126 new bookshops have opened in Beijing in 2018. Reading and other cultural activities have flourished in bookshops and libraries across the city, thanks to the special funds.