BEIJING: Countries like Pakistan and those from Africa are learning from China’s experience in poverty alleviation, and China’s model has the advantages that no developed country could achieve, an official said here.

The remarks were made by Qu Tianjun, an official from the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, at a poverty alleviation event in Beijing. China’s model, which fully mobilizes efforts in society with its political and institutional advantages, cannot be achieved in any Western developed country, he said.

It’s a unique innovation in China wherein developed regions are assigned the task of helping underdeveloped areas, and central-level government agencies are assigned to help grassroots organizations that are struggling below the poverty line, Qu said.

“Military officers, non-communist parties, State- and privately-owned companies are also engaged in all-around efforts to fight poverty in China, and Western countries cannot do this,” Qu added.

From 2012 to 2017, China has lifted 68.53 million people from poverty, the best in China’s poverty alleviation history.

Several countries, including Pakistan and those from Africa, are studying how China accomplished it in such a short period of time, Qu said. The Thursday event was hosted by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), which advocates improving nutrition in rural areas with projects like “nutritious breakfasts.”

During the past 10 years, the project has received 310 million yuan ($44.7 million) and provided “nutritious side dish” to over 9 million students from rural areas in 14 provincial-level regions in China, Wang Xingzui, secretary-general of the CFPA, said at the Thursday event.

Over 15,000 students from rural areas in the southern part of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have also benefited from the projects, as 3.5 million yuan has been allocated for the projects in regions like Kashi, Akto county and Markit county, said Qin Wei, assistant secretary-general of CFPA.

The foundation will make site visits and independent investigators will also be sent to monitor the use of the funds, Qin added.It may be mentioned here that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plan to start a mega poverty alleviation campaign is also in line with the China’s model.

Source: INP