China's efforts to eradicate poverty lauded

China's success with poverty eradication has injected hope into a world recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, and its fight against poverty has offered valuable lessons in achieving sustainable development, said ambassadors and United Nations officials during a conference Tuesday.

Around 200 attendees, including representatives of UN member countries, officials from multiple UN agencies as well as journalists from numerous countries convened in a virtual briefing during which China's Permanent Mission to the UN shared the country's experiences in poverty eradication.

"I'm smiling because you bring a different narrative that gives us hope," said Ambassador Perks Ligoya of Malawi, who spoke on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDC).

Ligoya said the Chinese success story paints a different picture from the economic crisis that the world has faced since the COVID-19 pandemic. As the LDC prepared for its fifth UN conference at which a new 10-year program will emerge, the organization is keen to learn from China and for the nation to take leadership on the issue.

"So that when we come up with our program, the examples that you've given us, the targeted funding, inclusion of civil societies, partnerships, all of those can be included in our 10-year program, in such a way that we still remain hopeful that by 2030, we will meet our 2050 agenda," he added.

Ambassador Burhan Gafoor of Singapore said lifting people out of poverty is not only a priority for developing countries, but also for developed countries, especially when the world faces unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic.

"Poverty eradication is in many ways the starting point for sustainable development. I would also say poverty eradication is the starting point for human dignity, and the starting point for human rights," he said.

Gafoor said he was very impressed with the successful implementation of China's poverty-reduction program.

"The statistics are stunningly successful, 700 million people lifted out of extreme poverty, including the rural poor, is a very, very impressive achievement," he said.

"But what China's achievement and experience show is that poverty eradication is possible. It's achievable, especially through government leadership, government vision, and government determination and coordination and effective implementation," Gafoor added.

Munir Akram, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said China's achievement is a testament that poverty could be overcome by human actions.

"I think the fruit of this victory against poverty transcends China. It has promoted human rights. It has promoted social development. It has promoted sustainable development," he said.

Quoting Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, Akram said the "Chinese experience can be a source of guidance for developing countries".

Mohan Pieris, permanent representative of Sri Lanka, said China's achievement and growth have encouraged his country to pursue further economic progress.

Elliot Harris, assistant secretary-general for economic development and chief economist in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said China's experience offered valuable lessons.

"The elimination of poverty is not something that can be achieved in quick actions or with one policy change. It needs constant and strong commitment and a consistent approach. He pointed out that rural development and the embrace of digitalization both contributed to China's poverty eradication.

Lenni Montiel, the deputy regional director of Latin America & Caribbean at United Nations Development Programme, said the precision of policy efforts, national information system, and targeted efforts are three elements that are fundamental for all developing countries wishing to eradicate poverty.

"Now it's a time for a big effort to ensure that China's experiences and lessons in the reduction of poverty can be shared with other countries around the world, and as much as possible through South-South Cooperation, ensuring achievement of the 2030 Agenda in as many countries as possible around the world," he said.

"China, as a force for peace, a force for development, a force for progress and a force for justice, will continue to make even greater contributions to maintaining world peace, promoting common development and upholding fairness and justice," said Zhang Jun, China's ambassador to the UN, who hosted the meeting.