Pilot Project to Share China's Experience in Shaking off Poverty

Chinese Ministry of Commerce Counselor Wang Qihui said that since Reform and Opening-up, the Chinese government has realized remarkable achievements through Large-scale Development-oriented Poverty Relief. Between 1978 and 2014, over 700 million impoverished people were lifted out of poverty, a phenomenon known to the world as the “Poverty Reduction Path with Chinese Characteristics”.

“We are willing to share our experience in poverty reduction with the rest of the world and make utmost efforts to help others; and we are even more willing to help neighboring countries like Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar with the fruits of our development so as to realize social stability and economic prosperity in East Asia,” he said.

Mr. Wu Min, Deputy Director General of the China State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said China has always been an active advocator, faithful practitioner and influential impeller of the global cause of poverty alleviation. In recent years, for the sake of promoting exchanges in terms of poverty alleviation concepts and experiences between China and East Asian countries for common development, China has deepened exchanges and cooperation with East Asian countries on poverty alleviation, establishing institutionalized cooperation platforms such as the "Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum", the "ASEAN- China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction", the "ASEAN+3 Exchange Program on Village Officials", and so on.

Mr. Pheak Sothea, Director of the Rural Economic Development Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of Cambodia, said several investigations have been conducted to learn about local demands. The Chinese side not only funds the project, but also offers technical assistance. Mr. Pheak said his department believes this project can improve infrastructure construction and livelihood, and will become a demonstration platform in terms of capacity building.

Mr. Ye Khaung, Deputy Director of the Department of Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of Myanmar, said poverty is one of the pressing issues in Myanmar as well as in the region. The success of poverty reduction policies and programs depends on the extent to which we create enabling environments for rural communities to take control of and be responsible for the development of their living standards and socioeconomic conditions.

“We foresee that this cooperation program is going to provide an innovative model for village-level poverty alleviation, focusing on a comprehensive and integrated approach to public service delivery and capacity development. It is hoped that this innovative and achievable poverty alleviation model can be replicated and disseminated into other poverty-related projects and programs in our country as well as in our region.”

Mr. Tan Weiping, Deputy Director of the IPRCC, gave detailed introduction of the project's implementation. It will promote the building of infrastructures such as roads and water facilities, and supporting rural industries such as plantation and cultivation, while enhancing communal environments, providing supplies, and dispatching experts for training. Meanwhile, it will integrate capacity building with the people’s strong desire to shake off poverty in order to increase their endogenous development momentum.