China is an exemplar in poverty reduction, and other nations big and small hope to follow this model. Many such countries are in attendance at the 2019 China Poverty Reduction International Forum, held Wednesday in Beijing. 

"Joint efforts on knowledge-sharing to promote global poverty reduction governance," is the theme of the 2019 China Poverty Reduction Forum, which welcomed 200 participants from 30 countries, including government officials, and people from international organizations, academia, businesses and NGOs.

While many policy makers find poverty reduction too steep a challenge, China has proven to the world that it can be done.

Nicholas Rosellini, the UN resident coordinator, said: "What's been seen in China is the heavier investment on the role sector helping farmers get a better life, but there is also investment in health, education, industrialization, and infrastructures. Both the role sector and the industry sector, and I think it is very important when I look at a successful poverty reduction strategy."

China has pulled roughly 850 million of its people out of poverty. That number alone accounts for three-quarters of the reduction in global poverty from the 1980s to today. However, the number of people living in extreme poverty globally remains high. And China has made global poverty reduction a long-term priority.

For nearly 40 years, the nation has offered valuable lessons for the world to build their own systems for helping impoverished people.

"China started targeting poverty with specific programs to address poverty in the countrysides, along with economic opportunities, new diversification growth, and targeted programs, are what make China's system so successful," said Yolanda Fernandez Lommen, the country director of Asian Development Bank. 

Matteo Marchsio, the International Fund for Agricultural Development  Representative in China also said that China is extremely good at understanding poverty. Having a clear understanding as to where, and why they are poor allows policymakers to develop targeted measures to reduce poverty.

It not only encourages dissemination of China's success stories, but also facilitates mutual learning through sharing best practices around the world.