Chongqing - On June 8th, China and South Asian Countries Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center were inaugurated at Southwest University in Chongqing. This center will make the Chinese alleviation experience accessible for South Asian countries, helping them consolidate their achievements in poverty alleviation.

During a Video Conference on 27 April 2021 on combating the Covid-19 pandemic, the Foreign Ministers of Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Afghanistan supported China’s proposal to set up the China-South Asian Countries Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center, a platform that is committed to the fight against poverty.

This center was designated in Southwest University as the training base and initially decided to select some typical and universal demonstration projects to share and cooperate, especially Chinese poverty alleviation models such as helping the poor population by developing industries and business, tourism, education, and other effective measures.

Wu Jianghao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the initiative of this center aims to gather power, integrate resources, and exchange intelligence, driving the process of poverty reduction. He showed China’s willingness to work with South Asian countries and make the best of this center to introduce China's approach and share the experience and contribution in poverty alleviation. It will also carry out more communication and cooperation in various forms, including formulating training programs, opening training classes, and organizing exchange meetings.

The ambassadors of 5 South Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, attended this event and delivered a speech. They highlighted China’s implementation of targeted poverty alleviation and urban revitalization. They expressed their expectation of further collaboration and mutual learning to overcome global poverty and enhance well-being through this center.

 “It’s a landmark moment for all the countries, and I believe these creations will help the countries learn the Chinese knowledge and experiences in reducing poverty and establish an uninterrupted supply and value chain in the region,” said Mahbub Zaman, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to China.

The intern Du Min also made a contribution to this article.