Nation sets example for world poverty reduction

China, the largest developing country in the world, has been offering foreign aid and taking part in international poverty reduction for a long time. Previously, it was involved in international poverty relief cooperation as a receiver of aid from international organizations and Western countries, to help develop its economy and improve undeveloped infrastructure.

The country started to accept aid and guidance for poverty relief in its rural areas. It has won acclaim for alleviating hardship in the these areas with its policy of poverty reduction through development projects. Now it has started to shoulder international responsibility by contributing to poverty reduction in other countries.

China is making great efforts to transform itself from a developing country into a moderately developed one. It is fairly advanced in some areas of development but remains backward in others. Generally speaking, many believe China has the ability to rid itself of its backward areas and take its poverty alleviation experience to other countries.

Currently, China is mainly involved in international poverty relief and foreign aid under a regional cooperation mechanism. Its poverty reduction cooperation with African countries is mainly conducted under the terms of the declaration of the Beijing Summit, which was passed at the Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit in 2006, and the Program for Strengthening China-Africa Cooperation on Poverty Reduction, which was issued at the China-Africa Poverty Reduction and Development Conference in 2014. Africa and China have cooperated in agriculture, training, improvement of livelihoods, experience exchange and debt relief. Cooperation with member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in poverty relief is mainly conducted by sharing policy information and experience. Meanwhile, China also provides equipment and technology to ASEAN member states.

The country is now favorably poised domestically and internationally to participate in international poverty relief cooperation. Poverty reduction is one of China's most successful achievements and demonstrates the strength of its development model. Politically, the country has the motivation to promote its model in other countries. It's also a practicable means for the country to shoulder more international responsibility. Meanwhile, with Chinese overseas investment on the rise, the country also hopes to see its companies speed up their inclusion in local communities by shouldering more social responsibilities.

Previously, it was developed countries that offered aid to developing countries. The developed countries have the resources needed for poverty alleviation but their ideas might not always be practical. In traditional foreign aid, the plan drafted by aid-givers may seem perfect but may not accord with local conditions. The receivers may have to adjust organization, systems and mechanisms to make the plan practicable.

As a developing country itself, however, China can offer more practical ideas and methods for poverty relief to African and Southeast Asian countries. It has been successful in poverty reduction because it has always insisted on the principle of autonomy, while borrowing practical and scientific ideas and methods from foreign countries where appropriate.

China's experience in regional, bilateral and multilateral poverty relief cooperation has laid a good foundation for the country to participate in - and even lead - the exploration of international poverty relief models.

There will be two basic models for China's participation in international poverty reduction cooperation: regional cooperation, led by China, and tripartite cooperation, led by international organizations.

Meanwhile, a collaborative mechanism can be established in international agricultural cooperation. Agricultural projects could yield beneficial results as the country carries out its "go global" strategies. Poverty-stricken populations can have more involvement in agricultural projects than in other investment projects. The strength of the Chinese poverty alleviation model can also be better highlighted with targeted poverty relief in agricultural projects.

Currently, the Chinese government has been considering integrating poverty reduction into the agricultural investment projects of some Chinese enterprises. This offers good opportunities to deepen collaboration on international agricultural cooperation and poverty reduction.

I suggest that a communication channel, mechanism and strategy for integrating international cooperation on agriculture and poverty reduction be established among government departments. Such a working mechanism can also be promoted to enterprises and industries so that both the country's agricultural industry and its poverty relief model can go out of the country "shoulder to shoulder".

Tan Xuewen is an associate research fellow at Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily European Weekly 03/31/2017 page8)