ACC Attended the 13th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction

From 26 to 28 June 2019, the 13th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction was held in Nanning,Guangxi. The forum was co-hosted by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, co-organized by the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China and the Poverty Alleviation and Development Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and supported by ASEAN Secretariat, Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and China International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges. More than 200 people including government officials, representatives of diplomatic missions, international organizations and enterprises, as well as experts, scholars and journalists from China and ASEAN countries attended the forum. Mr. Guo Chuanwei, Director of Trade and Investment Division of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) attended the forum upon invitation.

The forum focused on the theme of "ASEAN-China Poverty Reduction Cooperation Towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals". Mr. Chen Zhigang, Deputy Head of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, Mr. Chen Wu, Chairman of the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr. Ouk Rabon, Minister of Rural Development of Cambodia, Mr. Noel K. Felongco, Secretary-General of the Philippine National Poverty Reduction Commission, Mr. Thongphat Vongmany, Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, Mr. Kung Phoak, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN and Mr. Jiang Qin, Minister-Counsellor of Chinese Mission to ASEAN attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

During the forum, special arrangements were made for ASEAN representatives to share experience in poverty reduction in their respective countries, including the progress made in recent years and success stories. They also explored how to strengthen intraregional cooperation and work together to address the challenges of poverty reduction and development. After the meeting, the delegates attended a field trip to poverty alleviation projects in Nanning.