BEIJING - China has renovated a total of 20.8 million housing units in the country's urban shantytown areas since 2004, new data showed.

In 2014 alone, the target of rebuilding 4.7 million shantytown units has been completed, according to a statement on the official website of the central government, www.gov.cn.

The government has boosted financial support for the renovation work and stepped up construction of supporting facilities since the beginning of this year.

Shantytown renovation is a crucial part of the country's efforts to provide low-income urban residents with affordable housing.

In 2015, the country plans to start renovating more than 5 million shantytown units, according to the statement.