China’s Poverty Alleviation Experience Offers Lessons for South Asia, Speakers Say

By. Fatima Javed

ISLAMABAD, Oct 30 (Daily Global South)- Pakistani and Chinese officials, development experts and representatives of international organizations on Friday called for stronger regional cooperation, knowledge-sharing and the use of technology to address poverty and promote inclusive development across South Asia, highlighting lessons from China’s poverty alleviation experience.

The remarks came at 2026 China-South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation in Islamabad organized by the Understanding China Forum (UCF) and China International Communications Group (CICG) Centre for Europe and Asia (Pictorial Publications). The event featured the release of a report examining international perspectives on China’s poverty alleviation achievements, philosophy and experience, alongside presentations of books by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Yu Tao, Vice President of CICG, said poverty eradication remained a priority for countries worldwide and emphasized the need to tailor development strategies to national conditions, strengthen regional exchanges and embrace emerging technologies.

He proposed expanding cooperation in infrastructure, industry, digital technology and agricultural development, highlighting the potential of artificial intelligence and smart farming to improve productivity and livelihoods. He also called for more pilot projects and model villages to translate development cooperation into tangible benefits for local communities.

Yu said China was committed to sharing its poverty reduction experience through publications and international dialogue, helping South Asian countries explore approaches suited to their own development needs.

Zafar Uddin Mahmood, Special Representative of Pakistan’s Prime Minister on China Affairs and President of the Understanding China Forum, said China’s achievements demonstrated the importance of sustained economic growth and coordinated development policies.

He said Pakistan and other South Asian countries could benefit from closer cooperation with China in trade, technology, investment and employment. Effective poverty reduction, he added, required an integrated approach encompassing healthcare, social protection and rural development.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong said President Xi Jinping had made improving people’s livelihoods a priority since 2012, promoting targeted poverty alleviation through visits to impoverished regions and policies tailored to local conditions.

He said China had introduced a five-year transition period following the elimination of absolute poverty to consolidate achievements and prevent people from falling back into poverty.

Jiang also highlighted China’s Global Development Initiative, launched in 2021, saying $23 billion had been mobilized for cooperation projects benefiting more than 40 million people.

On Pakistan-China cooperation, he reaffirmed China’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including its second phase, reached communities across Pakistan. He cited $25.9 billion in direct investment under CPEC and identified agriculture as a key area for further cooperation.

Referring to an agriculture forum held on January 19, 2026, Jiang called for stronger bilateral agricultural trade and greater efforts to improve Pakistan’s trade balance with China.

Chaudhry Armaghan Subhani, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, said joint Pakistan-China projects were improving livelihoods through better infrastructure, electricity, healthcare, clean drinking water and modern farming.

He said around 15,000 solar lights had reached households in Balochistan through development initiatives, adding that future cooperation should prioritize projects directly benefiting families and communities, including vocational training, small businesses and access to basic services.

Subhani noted that South Asian countries faced common challenges, including poverty, unemployment, floods and unequal access to essential services. He expressed hope that the forum would lead to practical initiatives addressing these issues.

During the event, Qiao Zhenqi, Director of New Media Operations at CICG Centre for Europe and Asia, released the report International Public Opinions on the Achievements, Philosophy and Experience of China’s Poverty Alleviation.

The report examines international perspectives on China’s poverty alleviation achievements, institutional governance, development philosophy and practical experience.

The event also featured presentations of the English edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Volume V; the Urdu edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Volume II; and the English edition of Up and Out of Poverty to invited guests from South Asian countries.

The forum’s thematic sessions examined poverty reduction practices, inclusive development, economic growth and regional cooperation.

Speakers included Nadeem Javaid, Vice Chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics; Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute; Jamshed Kazi, Country Representative of UN Women Pakistan; Liu Yonggang of China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd.; Moeed Yusuf, Vice Chancellor of Beaconhouse National University; Wang Huihua of Energy China International Group Ltd. (Pakistan); and development economist Vaqar Ahmed.

The discussions highlighted the importance of effective governance, technological innovation and regional partnerships in advancing sustainable development and poverty reduction across South Asia.

About the Author: Fatima Javed is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Daily Global South. She is an Islamabad-based journalist covering international affairs, regional cooperation, politics, and economic development, with a particular interest in the Global South.

For correspondence: fatima@dailyglobalsouth.com