From May 9th to 22nd, 2025, the "Seminar on Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development for Venezuela", hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and organized by the International Poverty Reduction Center in China, was successfully held in Beijing. The 14-day seminar was attended by 20 officials from Venezuela’s Ministry of of Agriculture and Lands, Ministry of Communes and Socialist Movements, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Director General Liu Junwen and Deputy Director General Jie Ping of the International Poverty Reduction Center in China respectively attended the opening and closing ceremonies and delivered speeches. Mr. Francisco José César Velásquez, the Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Venezuela in China, addressed the opening ceremony. Mr. Wilber Atahualpa Colmenarez Escalona, Vice Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Lands of Venezuela, spoke on behalf of the participants at both the opening and closing ceremonies.

The theme of this seminar is “Poverty Reduction and Rural Development”. In addition to attending thematic lectures and cultural exchange activities in Beijing, participants also went to Guilin City and Liuzhou City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for field visits, where they investigated projects related to industrial poverty alleviation, employment-driven poverty reduction, and relocation for poverty alleviation. These visits offered participants firsthand insights into China’s great achievements in poverty reduction and rural development .

Mr. Wilber Atahualpa Colmenarez Escalona, the representative of the participants, delivered remarks highlighting the seminar’s role in consolidating the "All-Weather and comprehensive strategic partnership" between China and Venezuela. He emphasized that the seminar has laid a solid foundation for practical cooperation in agricultural development, poverty reduction, sustainable development, etc., paving the way for deeper practical collaboration.

Participants expressed sincere gratitude for the meticulous planning and thoughtful arrangements of the seminar, while applauding China’s remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation and rural development. They affirmed that the seminar provided invaluable insights and pledged to actively apply the experience learned, adapt China’s successful practices to their national conditions, and explore development pathways suitable for the local conditions to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable development in Venezuela.