China-South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation Held in Nepal

The China-South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation was held on November 22 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The forum was directed by China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal, hosted by the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (China Pictorial Publications) and China International Book Trading Corporation, and organized by Current Media and Research Center, China Study Center of Nepal, and Nepal China Friendship Forum.

During the forum, more than 100 government officials, diplomatic envoys, experts, scholars, media representatives and international organizations from China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries exchanged their views under the theme “Belt and Road Cooperation for Development in South Asia.” The guests included Liu Dawei, Vice President of CICG, Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairman of the National Assembly of Nepal, Chen Song, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Yubaraj Sangroula, former Attorney General of Nepal, Guo Ruihong, Second-Level Inspector of the Publishing Bureau under the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Syed Sultan Hassan Naqvi, Political and Education Counsellor of the Embassy of Pakistan in Nepal.

Liu Dawei noted that China has been committed to poverty reduction and economic growth along the Belt and Road over the last decade, in order to achieve the ultimate goal of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is to improve people’s livelihoods in all participating countries. He said that China and South Asian countries should deepen practical cooperation in various fields to enhance economic prosperity and stability in the region. In addition, they should build a flagship platform for global poverty alleviation and development.

Ganesh Prasad Timilsina said that China has cooperated with Nepal and other South Asian countries under the BRI framework and achieved remarkable results, greatly contributing to economic development in South Asia and improving people’s lives. He remarked that China would not have succeeded in poverty alleviation without the leadership of the CPC and the solidarity of Chinese people, and China and South Asian countries can jointly promote the high-quality development of the BRI by sharing poverty reduction experience.

Chen Song said that China stands ready to work with Nepal to accelerate the construction of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network and build closer China-Nepal ties. He added that the forum presented an opportunity for both sides to exchange experience in poverty reduction and explore new paths of cooperation, and therefore enhance the well-being of the Nepalese people. Chen noted that China will continue to support Nepal in poverty reduction and public welfare to ensure more benefits for the Nepalese people.

Noting that poverty remains a severe issue in South Asia, Yubaraj Sangroula said that China’s successful experience in poverty alleviation is worth learning and the BRI provides opportunities to alleviate poverty in South Asia through infrastructure construction and technology dissemination, as well as liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. He added that South Asian countries should seize the opportunities to promote economic prosperity in the region and improve living standards.

Syed Sultan Hassan Naqvi said that the ancient Silk Road has witnessed a glorious past of cultural exchange and mutual learning among diverse civilizations in China and South Asia, leaving splendid cultural heritage and tremendous opportunities for cooperation. He remarked that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as an integral part of the BRI, has not only promoted infrastructure connectivity but also created job opportunities, enhanced corporate social responsibilities, and directly contributed to poverty reduction in Pakistan.

Dinesh Kulatunga, President of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Sri Lanka, shared his experience of translating a Chinese book that describes how a poor, remote village in the Daliang Mountains in southwestern China has moved toward prosperity. He said that the poverty alleviation approach demonstrated in the book which stimulates the inner power of impoverished people is truly sustainable, and a favorable environment for impoverished people to realize their potential can be created by aggregating resources and spreading knowledge.

Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Director of Bangladesh’s Ankur Prakashani, said that China-Bangladesh economic cooperation has flourished over the past decade and yielded tremendous fruits, boosting the development of infrastructure, transportation, energy and other sectors in Bangladesh. Recognizing the importance of cultural exchange and digital progress under the BRI framework, he urged closer cultural ties between China and South Asian countries through knowledge sharing, research cooperation, and people-to-people exchange.

Kaushal Goyal, CEO and Director of India’s GBD Books, remarked that the BRI has enriched the spirit inherited from the ancient Silk Road and, demonstrating China’s will to pursue further openness, the BRI upholds the principles of extensive consultation, joint efforts and shared benefits, and provides a practical platform for building a global community of shared future. He said that GBD Books will continue to work with Chinese institutions to spread Chinese culture and foster closer ties between India and China.

At the forum, The Belt and Road Initiative: A Decade of Collaboration – China-South Asia Cooperation and Development Report was released by Huang Wei, First-Level Inspector of the Department of Coordination and Management, CICG, together with other guests. The report, led by Professor Zhang Xiaotao from the School of International Trade and Economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics, elaborates on the achievements of cooperation between China and South Asian countries over the past decade and the significant impact of the BRI on their economic and social development, especially in the field of poverty alleviation.

During the thematic session on “Eliminating Poverty and Realizing the Right to Development,” the participants discussed how to create more favorable conditions for impoverished people to realize the right to development. They believe that poverty eradication is a primary goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and a key approach to protecting and promoting human rights, and China and South Asian countries can work together under the BRI framework to strengthen infrastructure construction in impoverished areas, provide public services in health, education, culture, medical care among other sectors for people living in poverty, and create more jobs and enhance their self-development capacity.

During the thematic session on “Poverty Reduction Cooperation—Building a Global Community of Shared Future,” the participants said that China’s efforts in eradicating poverty at home and promoting international cooperation have greatly accelerated global poverty reduction. They noted that China and South Asian countries are expected to deepen exchanges in poverty reduction, promote regional economic and social development, and implement international cooperation projects that benefit people’s lives under the BRI framework, therefore contributing to the building of a global community of shared future.

The forum was moderated by Wang Shuo, Vice President of the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (China Pictorial Publications).