Xi Jinping: “I have worked in China’s villages, counties, cities, provinces, and at the central level in succession. Poverty alleviation has been an important part of my work and a significant issue I have committed myself to addressing.”
On November 18, the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, identified “eliminating hunger and poverty” as its top priority. Chinese President Xi Jinping once again elaborated on China’s experience in poverty alleviation at the summit.
According to a report released last month by the United Nations Development Programme, approximately 1.1 billion people globally are currently living in extreme poverty. Proportionally, about one-eighth of the world’s population faces extreme poverty. “The world’s prosperity and stability cannot be built on a foundation where the poor get poorer, and the rich get richer,” said Xi Jinping, who had expressed this statement two years ago at the G20 Bali Summit. He reiterated these words in Rio de Janeiro. Xi framed his speech under the theme of “Building a Fair World Where Everyone Prospers.”
Xi specifically detailed China’s experience of lifting “8 billion impoverished people out of poverty.” These included policies such as promoting the development of local industries, fostering “brotherhood” relationships between developed and less developed regions to enhance mutual assistance, improving infrastructure, and developing sustainable industries tailored to local conditions.
At the summit, Xi announced eight actions China would take to support global development. These actions cover both a wide range and tangible outcomes, including jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, implementing the Global Development Initiative, supporting Africa’s development, and promoting international cooperation on poverty alleviation and food security.
Additionally, Xi stated that China “does not seek the blossoming of a single flower but the flourishing of a garden” and aims to achieve modernization in collaboration with developing countries.