On May 15, 2025, the 2025 China-South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation was held in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka. Attendees included Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), Gamagedara Dissanayake, deputy minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, ambassador of China to Sri Lanka, Faheem Ul Aziz, high commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka, and Md. Jannatul Habib, head of chancery and first secretary of Bangladesh High Commission in Sri Lanka. The forum was moderated by Gao Xin, vice president of the CICG Center for Europe and Asia (China Pictorial Publications). The forum gathered over 80 participants from China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh among other countries, including government officials, diplomats, scholars, experts, representatives of media outlets and international organizations. The event featured in-depth discussions on the theme “Enhancing Regional Cooperation for South Asia’s Development.”
Du Zhanyuan noted in his speech that poverty eradication is a global challenge and a common mission for mankind. He said that it is imperative for China and South Asian countries to deepen poverty reduction and development cooperation with continuous efforts. He stressed that endeavors should be made to promote people’s well-being while adhering to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness; deepen pragmatic cooperation across various sectors for shared economic prosperity and stability; and facilitate the application of innovative technologies to empower the development of poverty alleviation. He said that CICG will take the forum as an opportunity to enhance bilateral and multilateral exchanges of poverty alleviation experiences, jointly explore the path of poverty reduction and development in line with regional conditions, and contribute wisdom and strength to building a global community of shared future.
Gamagedara Dissanayake said in his speech that although Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, poverty remains a long-standing challenge, particularly in rural areas and among certain urban groups. He added that China’s success in gaining economic value from cultural heritage is a valuable experience for Sri Lanka. He noted that this forum would serve as a platform to foster exchange of knowledge, identify specific areas for collaboration, and build stronger networks that will contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Qi Zhenhong noted in his speech that China achieved the goal of eliminating extreme poverty and overall regional poverty at the end of 2020, and while advancing its poverty alleviation efforts at home, China extended continuous assistance to other developing countries within its capacity. He said that it has established the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund and the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, and has promoted cooperation under frameworks such as the East Asia poverty reduction cooperation initiative and the China-Africa cooperation program for poverty reduction and people’s livelihood improvement. He added that through both multilateral and bilateral channels, China has supported capacity-building in developing countries, thereby making a significant contribution to global poverty reduction.
Indrananda Abeysekera, president of the Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC), stressed in his speech the importance of China’s experience in poverty alleviation for South Asian countries, especially for developing countries like Sri Lanka. He said that China’s achievements in poverty alleviation are not only the country’s own success, but also have valuable implications for global development. He added that adhering to the people-first principle, Chinese modernization has global significance, and notably China’s experience in targeted poverty alleviation and rural revitalization is of far-reaching implications for South Asian countries.
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Kapila Munasinghe, a national project specialist from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, shared in his speech the experience and progress of offering technical assistance to Sri Lanka through South-South cooperation. He said that the production efficiency, output and commercialization of priority fruits such as bananas, pineapples and mangoes have been improved in Sri Lanka through the transfer of technical expertise and innovative technologies. Noting that these fruits have become more competitive on the domestic and international markets, he said that the cooperation not only helps improve the sustainable development of local agriculture, but also creates more economic opportunities for farmers and relevant industries in Sri Lanka.
Dai Yonghong, dean and distinguished professor of the Institute of Area and International Communication and the School of Foreign Languages, Shenzhen University, said in his speech that China has secured a comprehensive victory in its battle against poverty, successfully eradicating extreme poverty. He noted that China’s experience has demonstrated how the path to prosperity for impoverished regions can be carved out with firm will, strong determination, and concrete actions. He added that China’s approach to poverty alleviation features targeted measures tailored to local conditions, indicating that solutions should be provided based on specific circumstances of different regions and populations.
Wang Dongxiao, dean and professor at the School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, analyzed in his speech the relationship between marine resources and the monsoon system, as well as its profound impact on South Asia’s economy and environment. He noted that by strengthening regional cooperation, particularly in the sustainable use of marine resources and the prediction and management of monsoon systems, significant opportunities for poverty reduction can be brought to South Asian countries.
Shannon Hannibal, representative for the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, said in his speech that the longstanding partnership between China and Sri Lanka has continued to deepen through Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative over recent years. He noted that in 2023, China funded a project with the FAO to enhance the fruit value chain in Sri Lanka, improving access to international markets for local produce. He said that China also supported sea cucumber farming, rural road construction, and the Mahaweli Water Diversion and Irrigation Project in Sri Lanka, which greatly improved local livelihoods. He stressed that these achievements underscore the value of China-Sri Lanka cooperation in advancing regional poverty reduction and sustainable growth.
Udaya Mohan Devadas, professor at the University of Kelaniya, shared insights into poverty reduction in China, Sri Lanka, and the South Asian region, proposing a comprehensive framework of human resource development to support the planning and implementation of policies and strategies aimed at eradicating poverty. He stated in his speech that the empowered and human resources-driven framework can play a crucial role in improving people’s living standards, generating employment opportunities, and achieving sustainable development, which will offer creative ideas and solutions for poverty reduction efforts in South Asia.
Jinith de Silva, president of the Sri Lanka China Society, recounted in his speech China’s transformation from a poverty-stricken country to a moderately prosperous society in all respects. He highlighted China’s success in driving economic growth in impoverished areas through large-scale population relocation, targeted poverty alleviation efforts, rural revitalization, and tourism development. As of 2020, China had fully eradicated extreme poverty, achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of ending extreme poverty ahead of schedule. In his speech, he credited China’s political and social system, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, for its clear vision and effective actions.
Liu Zongyi, research fellow and director of the Center for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, noted in his speech that despite being the world’s most densely populated region with the most pressing development needs, South Asia and the Indian Ocean region continue to face severe challenges posed by poverty. He said that as a global leader in poverty reduction, China has collaborated with South Asian countries on infrastructure development, agricultural modernization, food security, and green growth through the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative.
During the forum, Liu Shuangyan, director general of the CICG International Cooperation Department, released the Chinese-English bilingual book Questions and Answers on Chinese Modernization compiled by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies. The book addresses the international community’s questions about Chinese modernization through a question-and-answer format, elucidating its inherent logic and practice pathways.
During the forum, guests visited a thematic book exhibition. The ASLCSCC received books on topics including China’s poverty reduction experience and rural revitalization.
Hosted by the CICG and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, the event was organized by the CICG Center for Europe and Asia, the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, and the ASLCSCC, and supported by CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd., CCCC Construction Group Co., Ltd., and Ceylonese magazine.