From July 14 to 27, 2026, the “Seminar on Capacity Building for Grassroots Rural Officials from Latin American and Caribbean Countries”, organized by the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), was successfully held in Beijing City and Sichuan Province. The 14-day seminar brought together 27 officials from nine countries, including Panama, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, and Venezuela. Dr. Liu Junwen, Director General of IPRCC, attended the country speech and exchange session. Ms. Jie Ping, Deputy Director General of IPRCC, attended the closing ceremony and delivered the remarks. Ms. Santos Santiago Carmen Antonia, Head of the Osama Regional Department of the Community Social Assistance and Food Supply Administration of the Dominican Republic, and Ms. Zeballos Villarreal Laura, Director of the Comprehensive Planning Department of Santa Cruz Municipality of Bolivia, spoke on behalf of all participants at the opening and closing ceremonies respectively.

Centered on the theme of “Capacity Building for Grassroots Rural Officials”, the seminar featured thematic lectures and cultural activities in Beijing, followed by field visits to Yibin in Sichuan Province. Participants observed projects related to rural community planning, integrated development of agriculture, culture and tourism industries, digital village development, and rural talent cultivation.

Ms. Zeballos Villarreal Laura stated: “This seminar has provided us with valuable learning opportunities both in the lectures in Beijing and through field visits in rural areas of Yibin, Sichuan Province. In Yibin, we witnessed not only well-developed infrastructure and the application of agricultural technologies, but also a profound humanistic heritage. Driven by a shared commitment to rural development, grassroots officials work side by side with local residents year after year, which deeply moved me. What impressed me most was China’s practice of conducting targeted household surveys, through which officials engage directly with every household to understand their actual needs. This fully reflects China’s people-centered development philosophy. After fourteen days of training, we are more convinced than ever that poverty can be overcome. We will take home the development concepts that balance efficiency and people’s well-being, transform the valuable experience learned in China into concrete actions, and promote rural development in our own countries.”