Gansu visit sparks intl praise for poverty alleviation

China's poverty alleviation experience garnered praise from political party representatives and think tank experts from 27 countries during a recent tour of Gansu province, where they witnessed the transformation of one of the country's once-poorest regions into a model of poverty alleviation and rural vitalization.

The visit, organized by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, included a stop in Bulenggou village in Dongxiang county, Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, where delegates observed firsthand how targeted poverty alleviation and industrial development have transformed the local community.

Speaking at the Party School of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee in Lanzhou, Nie Dianzhong, vice-president of the school, said the nation's poverty alleviation efforts combine practical technologies, institutional innovation and a development philosophy focused on preventing households from slipping back into poverty while fostering people's motivation for self-development.

As an example, Nie highlighted Gansu's digital monitoring platform, which integrates data from several government departments to identify households at risk of returning to poverty and provide targeted assistance within a 48-hour period.

"I believe much of China's poverty alleviation experience offers valuable lessons for developing countries, particularly those across the Global South," Nie said, adding that exchanges such as the visit help deepen mutual understanding and promote mutual learning.

The delegates echoed that assessment.

Aklesso Atcholi, executive secretary of the Union for the Republic of Togo, who led the delegation, said China's success in eradicating absolute poverty has contributed "Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions" to global poverty reduction efforts. He said Togo hopes to strengthen exchanges with China and learn from its experience in poverty alleviation and grassroots governance.

Liam Isaac Ellis, a central committee member of the Communist Party of Australia, described China's approach as "an excellent model" as it empowers people to overcome poverty themselves rather than rely solely on financial assistance.

"This is a much more sustainable approach," he said.

Ellis added that what impressed him most was China's determination to pursue poverty alleviation without settling for "compromises and half measures".

For Wazim Dill Mohammed, an alderman of the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation in Trinidad and Tobago, the most striking impression was Gansu's journey of transformation.

"Having been told this was one of the poorest regions here, and having seen photographs of dirt roads and mud roads, seeing what it has become today, I am shocked and amazed," he said.

Hu Changsheng, secretary of the CPC Gansu Provincial Committee, said Gansu was once one of China's principal battlefields in the fight against poverty. Through targeted measures, stronger support mechanisms and coordinated efforts at all levels, the province eliminated absolute poverty along with the rest of the country and is now working to consolidate those gains through rural vitalization and high-quality development.

Wu Yuexuan contributed to this story.