The China-Pacific Island Countries Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center was inaugurated in Fuzhou on July 20. Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee Yin Li, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Xie Feng, Vice Administrator of National Rural Revitalization Administration Xia Gengsheng, Deputy Speaker of Fiji Parliament and Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Veena Bhatnagar, and Ambassador of Solomon Islands to China John Fugui addressed the ceremony in person or via video links. The ceremony was also attended by Governor of Fujian Province Zhao Long, Executive Vice Governor of Fujian Province Guo Ningning, Secretary-General of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee Wu Xielin, and diplomatic envoys of China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs).

Secretary Yin Li said in the speech that poverty eradication is a shared mission of humankind. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, President Xi Jinping has identified the decisive battle against extreme poverty as one of China’s priorities. China’s complete victory in the fight against poverty will provide valuable experience for other developing countries. The ideas and practices on poverty eradication initiated by Xi in Fujian are of great significance to China’s ongoing efforts to consolidate poverty eradication gains, advance rural revitalization, and promote global poverty reduction.

Yin stressed that the inauguration of the Center will open a new chapter for the cooperation between Fujian Province and PICs. Through tapping into its distinctive strengths, Fujian is ready to deepen its practical cooperation with PICs and make new contribution to the development of relations between China and PICs by sharing experience on poverty eradication, promoting international cooperation on Juncao technology, expanding business ties, and facilitating cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Vice Administrator Xia Gengsheng said that the Center will serve as a platform for poverty alleviation training, experience sharing, project cooperation and capacity building. It will play a facilitating role for China and PICs to deepen cooperation in poverty alleviation and development and jointly build a Global Alliance for Poverty Reduction and Development (GAPRD).

Deputy Speaker Veena Bhatnagar noted that the Juncao technology from Fujian has been benefiting Fiji in terms of poverty reduction and income generation. She hoped the inauguration of the Center could further help PICs in meeting their SDG commitments.

Ambassador John Fugui hoped that the Center will provide tangible results for experience and information sharing between China and PICs, and help PICs boost economy and support peoples’ welfare.

On the inauguration ceremony, Secretary Yin Li, Governor Zhao Long, Ambassador John Fugui, Vice Administrator Xia Gengsheng, and Counsellor Gu Yu of the MFA jointly unveiled the Center. Director General Chen Chuxin of Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and Deputy Provincial Administrator Ipa’e Maniha of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) signed the MoU on the Establishment of Silk Road Partnership between Fujian Province and Eastern Highlands Province. Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and the PNG University of Technology, and Fujian Business University and the University of Goroka, also signed MoUs on cooperation.

The China-Pacific Island Countries Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center is jointly established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Rural Revitalization Administration, and Fujian Province. The Center will organize experience-sharing events, trainings, fact-finding tours, and launch demonstration projects on poverty alleviation cooperation.