Global poverty relief entails collaboration: China Daily editorial

A major outcome of the 2026 Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum that opened in Beijing on Wednesday is the establishment of the Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development (GPPAD) by China and 53 other countries, along with nine international organizations.

While some major countries export inflation, chaos and war, China is contributing poverty reduction and sharing its experience to promote poverty relief and common development.

United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative ad interim for China James George said in the first committee meeting of the GPPAD, the UNDP welcomes the partnership's emphasis on dialogue, knowledge-sharing, South-South cooperation and multi-stakeholder collaboration, as these are essential elements for accelerating sustainable development progress and ensuring that development pathways remain inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Against a backdrop of mounting global development challenges, the establishment of the partnership is both timely and significant. According to the latest Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report released by the UNDP, 1.1 billion people across 109 countries continue to live in multidimensional poverty, while nearly 890 million vulnerable people face the dual pressures of poverty and severe climate hazards. With three-quarters of the world's extreme poverty concentrated in rural areas, the urgency of strengthening international cooperation on poverty reduction has become increasingly evident.

At a time when climate change, economic uncertainty, food insecurity, debt pressures and geopolitical conflicts are undermining global development gains, no country can tackle these challenges alone. What the world needs is stronger solidarity, more pragmatic cooperation and platforms that enable countries to share experiences and pursue common solutions. In this regard, the founding of the partnership represents another global public good provided by China and its partners.

By promoting policy dialogue, technology sharing, capacity building and development cooperation, China is transforming its poverty reduction experience into an international resource that benefits more developing countries. This reflects China's commitment to advancing inclusive development and building a global community with a shared future free from poverty.

China's experience demonstrates that poverty is neither inevitable nor unconquerable. In 2021, the country declared a landmark achievement: the eradication of absolute poverty, following a decades-long effort that lifted around 800 million people out of destitution. With that, the nation achieved the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda 10 years ahead of schedule.

China has actively promoted international exchanges and cooperation on poverty alleviation. Through the Global Development Initiative, South-South cooperation projects, agricultural assistance programs and poverty reduction training seminars, China has shared its experience and technology with countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America. From hybrid rice technology benefiting farmers in nearly 70 countries to mushroom cultivation creating employment opportunities in over 100 countries and regions, China is sharing its hard-earned experience with the world.

Fundamentally, the issue of poverty reduction is an issue of development. Only through development can impoverished regions cultivate endogenous growth drivers and achieve sustainable prosperity. China's experience shows that poverty alleviation must move beyond short-term relief and focus instead on strengthening self-development capabilities.

As Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong said at the forum, China will support the GPPAD in fully leveraging its role by strengthening policy dialogue, technology demonstration and talent training, while developing a series of "small but beautiful" projects to help developing countries enhance their poverty reduction capacities.

To this end, there is an urgent need for all parties to build broader consensus and accelerate the global poverty reduction process. The proposals put forward by Liu underscore China's commitment to advancing international poverty alleviation through pragmatic, results-oriented actions. As he said, countries should accelerate pragmatic actions, strengthen dialogue and exchanges, enhance endogenous drivers by vigorously promoting market and technology-enabled empowerment, reinforce multilateral coordination and improve the global governance system for poverty reduction.

Poverty relief is not a one-time accomplishment but a long-term undertaking for all countries. Only through collaboration and shared progress can humanity build a better future marked by lasting prosperity and dignity for all.