On May 15, the "2025 China-South Asian Countries Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation Forum" was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. More than 80 government officials, diplomatic envoys, experts and scholars, media representatives, and members of international organizations from China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries attended the forum. The participants engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges on the theme of "deepening regional cooperation and promoting the development of South Asia."
Gathering wisdom from multiple parties to jointly seek effective strategies for regional poverty reduction
The forum was guided by the China International Communications Group (CICG) and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, and hosted by the Central and Eastern European, Central and South Asian Communication Center of CICG, the Institute of Contemporary China and the World Studies, and the Association for Sri Lanka–China Social and Cultural Cooperation (ASLCSCC).
Du Zhanyuan, Director-General of China International Communications Group (CICG); Hon. Gamagedara Dissanayake, Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka; Hon. Qi Zhenhong, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka; and Hon. Faheem-Ul-Aziz, Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka attended the forum.
Du Zhanyuan emphasized that poverty eradication is a global challenge and a shared mission for all humanity. It is imperative for China to deepen poverty reduction and development cooperation with South Asian countries, as the road ahead remains long. He called for actively embracing the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness; continuously improving people’s livelihoods and well-being; deepening practical cooperation for economic prosperity and stability; and promoting the application of innovative technologies to support poverty alleviation efforts.
China International Communications Group will leverage this forum as an opportunity to promote bilateral and multilateral sharing of poverty reduction experiences, jointly explore poverty reduction and development plans tailored to regional characteristics, and contribute wisdom and strength to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Gamagedara Dissanayake noted that although Sri Lanka has made significant progress in health care, education, and infrastructure, poverty remains a persistent challenge, particularly in rural areas and among urban poor communities. He regarded the forum as a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, cooperation coordination, and experiential learning.
Qi Zhenhong introduced that while advancing its own poverty reduction efforts, China has continuously provided assistance to developing countries within its capacity. China has established the "China-UN Peace and Development Fund" and the "South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund," and steadily promoted cooperation projects under the frameworks of the "East Asia Poverty Reduction Cooperation Initiative" and the "China-Africa Poverty Reduction and People’s Welfare Cooperation Plan." China has also consistently helped developing countries improve capacity building through multilateral and bilateral channels to support global poverty reduction.
Focusing on pragmatic cooperation to jointly promote agricultural and livelihood development
During the forum, participants visited the "China-South Asia Poverty Reduction and Development Theme Book Exhibition," where the Sri Lanka China Social and Cultural Cooperation Association was presented with books covering China’s poverty reduction experience, rural revitalization, and related themes.
Indrananda Abeysekera, president of the ASLCSCC, stressed the importance of China’s poverty alleviation experience for South Asian countries, especially developing countries like Sri Lanka. He stated that China’s poverty alleviation achievements represent not only its own success but also a valuable asset for global development. China’s modernization follows the ‘people-first’ principle, contributing not only to China but also to global progress, particularly through its experience in targeted poverty alleviation and rural revitalization—lessons with far-reaching significance for South Asia.
FAO expert Kapila highlighted China’s technical assistance to Sri Lanka through South-South cooperation, especially successful efforts to improve the value chain of specialty agricultural products such as bananas, pineapples, and mangoes. Experts from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences helped Sri Lankan farmers achieve gratifying results, including a threefold increase in pineapple production and a 25% to 30% increase in mango production, with improved fruit quality. Munasinghe pointed out that this cooperation not only increased farmers’ incomes but also promoted the sustainable development of local agriculture.
Shannon Hannibal, representative of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka (BRISL), noted that the foundation of Sri Lanka-China cooperation is solid, with deepening collaboration in recent years under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative. In 2023, China funded the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to implement a fruit value chain improvement project in Sri Lanka, helping local fruits better access international markets. Concurrently, China supported local sea cucumber farming, rural road construction, and the Mahaweli water diversion irrigation projects, effectively improving livelihoods and well-being. These tangible outcomes underscore the importance of Sri Lanka-China cooperation in promoting regional poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Sharing experience and building a road to development in South Asia
The bilingual Chinese-English book Questions and Answers on “Chinese-style Modernization”, compiled by the Institute of Contemporary China and the World, was released at the forum. The book systematically addresses international concerns and demonstrates the unique logic of China’s development path.
Ginnis de Silva, chairman of the Sri Lanka China Association, highlighted that China has successfully promoted economic growth in impoverished areas through large-scale population relocation, poverty alleviation policies, rural revitalization, and tourism development. By 2020, China completely eradicated absolute poverty and achieved the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s goal of eliminating extreme poverty ahead of schedule—an historic milestone in global poverty reduction.
Liu Zongyi, researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies and director of the South Asia Research Center, pointed out that South Asia and the Indian Ocean region—among the world’s most densely populated with urgent development needs—still face severe poverty challenges. As a key global poverty reduction leader, China has carried out fruitful cooperation with countries in the region in infrastructure construction, agricultural modernization, food security, and green development through platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative.
Udaya Mohan Devadas, professor at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and other guests agreed that the China-South Asia Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation Forum serves as a landmark platform for regional collaboration, providing a practical path for poverty reduction and development in South Asia while promoting a closer China-South Asia community with a shared future.