Seminar held on UN sustainable development goals, China's experience in poverty reduction

BEIJING -- A seminar on the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and China's Poverty Reduction Experience has been held online to share global poverty reduction experience.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered an online speech from the main venue in Beijing.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN and it is significant to jointly explore the path for sustainable human development and share practical experience in global poverty reduction, said Huang, also head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

China will eliminate absolute poverty under the current standards this year and achieve the poverty reduction targets of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ahead of schedule, he said.

China's experience shows that the rights to subsistence and development are primary basic human rights, that poverty reduction is a noble pursuit and a practical action, and that it is necessary to address global issues through the participation of whole societies as well as international cooperation based on each country's own national conditions, he said.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the international community, guided by the pioneering UN Millennium Development Goals, has vitally improved human development around the world, and China's extraordinary national development and success in implementing the UN's Millennium Development Goals were integral to these global gains.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin said that although the pandemic has impacted all countries and communities, its impact has been felt more acutely by vulnerable groups and populations. He said it is critical that recovery efforts address the underlying causes of poverty and inequality, and promote meaningful inclusion of vulnerable groups such as informal sector workers, elderly people and children by addressing their specific needs.

The seminar was hosted by the China Global Television Network think tank and attracted roughly 140 former political leaders, heads of international organizations, and think tank representatives from 39 countries and regions.