COLOMBO, May 17 (NNN-XINHUA) – The 2025 China-South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation was held in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka, on Thursday, to promote cooperation on poverty alleviation and spark collaborative projects tailored to local needs.
In his speech, Gamagedara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s deputy minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, said, China’s success in gaining economic value from cultural heritage is a valuable experience for Sri Lanka.
He added that, despite notable successes in public health, education, and infrastructure development over the decades, Sri Lanka still grapples with persistent pockets of poverty in rural districts, and among low-income urban communities.
Dissanayake expressed the hope that this forum would serve as a platform to foster the exchange of knowledge, identify specific areas for collaboration, and build stronger networks that will contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development.
That spirit of practical cooperation was echoed by Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), who noted that, poverty eradication is not only a national goal but also a global challenge and a common mission for mankind.
China and South Asian nations have been continuing to deepen cooperation in various areas, significantly contributing to the promotion of economic development and the improvement of people’s livelihood, Du said.
Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, outlined his country’s structural efforts to support developing nations in their fight against poverty.
Qi noted that, China has channeled support to developing countries through mechanisms, such as, the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund and the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund. China has also promoted cooperation under frameworks, such as the East Asia poverty reduction cooperation initiative, and the China-Africa cooperation programme for poverty reduction and people’s livelihood improvement.
The forum, themed “Enhancing Regional Cooperation for South Asia’s Development,” brought together policymakers, diplomats, scholars, and development specialists from China, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and beyond.– NNN-XINHUA
