ACC Attended the 15th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction

On 22 June 2021, representatives of the ASEAN-China Center (ACC) attended upon invitation the 15th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction hosted by the National Rural Revitalization Administration of China. With the theme of "ASEAN-China Cooperation: Promoting Rural Development and Sustainable Poverty Reduction", the forum attracted more than 80 participants including officials from relevant government agencies of China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand, representatives from international organizations, non-governmental organizations, experts and scholars from academic institutions and businesses. Mr. Dato’ Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, Mr. Atty. Noel Felongco, Secretary-General of National Anti-poverty Commission of the Philippines, Mr. Sao Chivoan, Minister of State of the Ministry of Rural Development of Cambodia, Mr. Wang Zhengpu, Administrator of National Rural Revitalization Administration of China and Mr. Deng Xijun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to ASEAN attended and addressed the forum.

Wang Zhengpu praised the positive efforts and fruitful achievements made by China and ASEAN countries in poverty reduction since the establishment of the forum 15 years ago, and highlighted China's achievements in poverty reduction in recent years. He said that China has completed its target of poverty alleviation by 2020 as scheduled, eradicated extreme poverty in a historic way, and achieved the goal of poverty reduction set by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. In the future, China will further consolidate and expand its achievements in poverty alleviation and comprehensively promote rural revitalization.

Dato’ Lim Jock Hoi spoke highly of China's achievements in poverty reduction. He briefed about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASEAN countries, and believed that 2021 will be a crucial year in the fight against the epidemic, and ASEAN countries should strengthen policy coordination, strive to eradicate extreme poverty, reduce social inequality and promote sustainable development.

Deng Xijun fully affirmed the all-round friendly and cooperative relations between ASEAN and China. He proposed that the two sides further strengthen cooperation in the field of health, constantly innovate cooperation models, and strengthen economic and trade exchanges, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in the post-epidemic era.

Representatives from the United Nations development program (UNDP), the UN food and agriculture organization (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and other international organizations, officials from government agencies of China and ASEAN countries, experts and scholars from high-level institutions including China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University spoke around the theme of the forum. All participants recognized the positive role of digital economy in poverty reduction and sustainable development in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and discussed in depth on how to enhance policy coordination to jointly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impacts and actively promote the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as scheduled.

The video conference in Beijing also released the Video Collection of the Introduction to China Poverty Alleviation Exchange Base and the distribution of copies.