China’s success in poverty alleviation a great lesson for mankind: Cuban analyst

by Yosley Carrero

HAVANA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) — “China’s success in poverty alleviation gives a great lesson for mankind amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the complex geopolitical landscape worldwide,” a Cuban analyst has said.

The Chinese government has lifted some 700 million people out of poverty since 1978, and brought economic prosperity to its population, Ruvislei Gonzalez, head of the Asia and Oceania Division at Havana’s Center for the Study of International Politics, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

“It comes as many countries and continents continue to experience a significant setback in fighting poverty due to the current sanitary emergency, and subsequent contractions of the world economies,” he said.

“The leadership of the Communist Party of China has been fundamental not only to combat poverty but also to implement public policies aiming to create new employment opportunities and to improve Chinese people’s access to health services and education,” said Gonzalez.

This impressive achievement is the result of solid steps China has taken since the country initiated the reform and opening-up in 1978, he added.

It demonstrates “the effectiveness of China’s comprehensive approach in fighting extreme poverty in keeping with principles promoted by socialism with Chinese characteristics,” said Gonzalez.

Unlike other nations, China’s poverty alleviation strategy has not only focused on the development of big cities and metropolitan areas, the expert said.

“China has done a great job by boosting rural development and benefiting millions of people particularly from the country’s westernmost region,” Gonzalez said.

“Indeed, people living outside the urban areas are very much enjoying the improvement of housing, road and telecommunications infrastructure in Chinese towns and communities,” he added.

“As a result of the elimination of extreme poverty in China, people have improved their purchasing power, followed by a further rise in consumption of goods and services across the country,” he said.

Besides, this historic achievement in eradicating poverty sets internal conditions for “China’s Belt and Road Initiative to better bolster social and economic development at all levels,” said Gonzalez.

The Chinese government has demonstrated that political will along with short- and long-term strategies are indispensable to address the world challenges, he said, adding that “the amount of people China has lifted out of poverty outnumbers the population of some entire nations and continents.”