February 2, 2010---In order to strengthen human resource development and the cooperation between China and other developing countries, promote international exchange and collaboration, share China’s successful experience in poverty eradication, a workshop on Poverty Alleviation Policy and Practice for South Pacific Islands and Asian Countries took place in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from Jan. 31 to Feb. 8, 2010. This event was co-hosted by the Poverty Reduction Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi Foreign-funded Poverty Reduction Project Management Center; sponsored by International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Australian Agency for International Development, It is the eighth time that IPRCC engaged in international cooperation and exchange activity on issues of poverty alleviation in Guangxi since 2005. This event also marked the 21st training seminar sponsored by IPRCC in the last five years. Till then, more than 400 senior governmental officials from 82 countries have attended the training course organized by IPRCC. Liu Jian, China State Council Councelor, Chairman of IPRCC and the Former Head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (LGOP), Wu Zhong, Managing Director of IPRCC, Chen Zhangliang, Vice Chairman of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Wang Weili, the Deputy Director of China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, and Hou Xin’an, Assistant Country Director of UNDP were present in the opening ceremony.

There are a total number of 22 government officials from 9 countries participated in the training course. The purpose of the training seminar is to share China’s experience in poverty alleviation both from the theoretical and practical perspectives. Counselor Liu Jian and Director Wu Zhong delivered speeches regarding China’s policies and practice in economic and social development with a reference on poverty alleviation respectively. Wu Yuxiong, director of Poverty Reduction Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, mainly introduced Guangxi’s experience and practice in poverty alleviation. In the meantime, representatives from other countries also shared their valuable experiences. In addition, a field visit to Ma Shan County, Guangxi was arranged for all the participants.
 
Since 2001,poverty alleviation work in Guangxi has entered into a new stage. There are 4060 poor villages having been considered the major area for conducting poverty alleviation, Priority has also been taken on the infrastructure construction and general management etc. Generally, people’s income and living standards have been improved dramatically. The number of the poor has been declined from 8 million in 1993 to 2.98 million in 2009.