Ban Ki-moon: China a model for success in poverty relief

China has set a good example of how a committed and persistent government can transform economic development into increased quality of human life, Ban Ki-moon, the chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, said on Tuesday.

The success of China, among other Asian countries, is not only proof of feasibility, but also a valuable lesson that will empower other developing countries on their way toward sustainable development, added the former secretary general of the United Nations.

He noted that as the most populous nation, China's success in eliminating absolute poverty domestically will inject confidence into the poverty reduction cause that's underway in other developing countries.

Ban made the remarks in a pre-recorded speech delivered at a news conference in Beijing that released the Asia Poverty Reduction Report 2020, which said Asia has been leading the poverty reduction cause worldwide since 1990, to which China is a major contributor.

The report, compiled by the Boao Forum for Asia alongside the China Agricultural University, aims to introduce the best practices in the region and promote the exchange of knowledge in relevant fields.

The report came as China recently eradicated absolute poverty domestically against the headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which according to an estimate by the World Bank, could plunge 70 million to 100 million people into poverty globally.

The chairman described the pandemic's impact as a public health emergency more critical than the Ebola crisis in 2015.

By ending poverty nationwide, China is on its way to becoming the first developing country that reaches the no-poverty goal of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

China has made zero-poverty a baseline requirement for the nation's aim to build China into a "moderately prosperous society in all aspects" in 2021, which requires a significant improvement in welfare for farmers, disabled people and other vulnerable groups.