Xi reaffirms poverty relief commitment to seminar

President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's commitment on Monday to eradicating absolute poverty throughout the country by the end of this year and called for international cooperation in stepping up the global poverty reduction process.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark in a congratulatory message delivered to the International Seminar on Poverty Eradication and the Responsibility of Political Parties, which was held in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province.

"We have the confidence and ability to secure full victory in the critical battle against poverty, and realize the poverty eradication goal of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule," Xi said.

Noting that eradicating poverty, improving people's livelihoods and allowing people to realize common prosperity are essential requirements of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said they are also important missions of the Party.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, China has made poverty reduction a key task to fulfill in order to realize the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the time the Party celebrates its centenary in 2021, and it has taken a series of major steps to declare war on poverty, Xi said.

"The problem of absolute poverty that has beset the Chinese nation for centuries will be settled," he said, describing the achievement as "greatly significant to human society".

Despite progress made in global poverty eradication, grave difficulties and challenges remain, Xi said.

"It is urgent for the international community to build consensus and work together to uphold multilateralism, maintain peace and stability and accelerate the process of global poverty alleviation," he said.

Around 400 participants, including experts, representatives of political parties from over 100 countries and those of international organizations, attended the event organized by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee.

In the keynote speech at the seminar, Song Tao, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said eradicating poverty is a prominent aspect of the Party's governance of the country.

Party leadership is the most important experience for China to make historic achievements in poverty relief and the fundamental support for winning the battle against poverty, Song said.

Addressing the seminar in a video speech, Bounnhang Vorachith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos, commended China's achievements in poverty reduction and said China has used its experiences to tell the world that eradicating poverty is something possible.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union－Patriotic Front, congratulated China on becoming the first country to meet the poverty eradication goal of the 2030 Agenda by the end of this year, and said China's poverty alleviation strategy has set an example for pushing for the development and progress of humanity.

Leaders of Namibia, the Central African Republic, Malawi, Argentina and Suriname also praised China's achievements in poverty eradication in their messages to the seminar, highlighting the CPC's people-centered philosophy and expressing their willingness to share experiences with China in poverty reduction and to develop mutually beneficial cooperation.