Wang ZhijianDespite raging pandemic and tough economic challenges, China clinched victory in eradicating absolute poverty last year, achieving the poverty reduction goal set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a decade in advance. Despite media hype about the China menace, a destitute China with starving population could become a more serious problem to the world. The poverty reduction accomplishment is an outcome of a continuous drive that combines proper planning, a clear goal and long-term, sustainable solutions. UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said China’s poverty reduction experiences ‘‘can provide valuable lessons to other developing countries’’. New Zealand agricultural experts have aided China’s poverty reduction projects through on-site instruction, and friends from all circles in South Island have also assisted in various ways.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 28, 2021 15:22 UTC