Around 300 representatives of political parties of more than 30 countries from Thursday to Saturday attended a series of events in central China's Henan Province aiming to showcase China's successful experience in rural vitalization.
The events were organized by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in cooperation with Henan Provincial CPC Committee, including an exhibition, seminars and field studies.
High-quality development
When learning Henan is responsible for one-tenth of China's grain output with one-sixteenth of the country's arable land, the representatives spoke highly of the high-quality development of the province.
According to Guo Tiancai, a professor with Henan Agricultural University, progress in science and technology now contributes 61 percent to the province's wheat production, which may shed light on why the province can produce more grains on limited farmland.
The implementation of the strategy of rural vitalization has given a new look to China's rural areas and improved the lives of farmers, said Somphanh Phengkhammy, a member of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Party of Laos and vice president of the Lao National Assembly.
"China's experiences in poverty reduction, especially the targeted poverty -alleviation, have provided a golden key to the global effort at reducing poverty," said Somphanh, adding that Laos is looking forward to further exchanging experiences with the CPC in party building and governance.
New businesses
Few counties in China are as well-known as Lankao in Henan. This is thanks to Jiao Yulu, a model Party cadre widely known by Chinese people. Jiao went to Lankao to work as Party secretary in 1962 and led people there to combat sandstorms and floods until he died of liver cancer at the age of 42 in 1964.
Partly due to the harsh natural environment, Lankao's economy remained sluggish, and it was listed as an impoverished county in 2002.
With the booming instrument-making industry and homestay tourism, local people have found jobs and are awarded special loans for poverty alleviation. In 2017, Lankao was removed from the list of impoverished counties.
The new businesses in Lankao have not only lifted many people out of poverty but also brought many people back home.
China is able to solve major problems by pooling resources and efforts, and it is a great feat to bring tens of millions of people out of poverty with measures including industrial development and job creation, said Alejandro Chacon Camargo, president of the House of Representatives of Colombia.
Experience sharing
Noting China's success in rural vitalization is proof of China's strong capability in leading the whole nation towards prosperity, former Prime Minister of the Central Africa Republic Simplice Mathieu Sarandji said there are many things the developing countries can learn from China.
"A little experience of Henan may be worth learning for our country. This is the meaning of sharing and also the meaning of communication," said Sarandji.
Song Tao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said achieving rural vitalization and eradicating poverty are common challenges for governments and political parties around the globe, especially in developing countries.
"The CPC is willing to exchange views with other political parties on state governance and jointly promote rural vitalization and poverty eradication around the world," Song said.
