Editor's note: Stephen Ndegwa is a Nairobi-based communication expert, lecturer-scholar at the United States International University-Africa, author and international affairs columnist. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

For decades economic development has been made to look like rocket science. In their usual patronizing approach, developed countries have ended up confusing and bamboozling poor countries with high sounding economic policies that have always flopped due to their inapplicability in a developing context.

Therefore, China's launch of a white paper on poverty alleviation on April 6 titled, "Poverty Alleviation: China's Experience and Contribution," will go a long way in helping countries still in an economic rut after perennially implementing unworkable policies.

Indeed, developing countries need a rethink of their approach to poverty alleviation. Experts say that this may, no matter how impossible it sounds, entail decoupling their economies from some of the structures they have used since independence. For instance, the experts observe that the neo-colonial systems in use today in many African countries ensure that they continue to languish in economic "bondage."  

The white paper lays bare the course of the Chinese people's unrelenting fight against extreme poverty, introduces China's approach in this effort and shares its experience and actions in its targeted poverty alleviation efforts. Importantly, this is a Chinese story told by the Chinese themselves. It does not follow a borrowed template. Conversely, however, it does not ignore some universal parameters in assessing development.

The paper narrows down to the strategies China used in its extreme poverty push, which offers a new path that other developing countries can adopt. The document consolidates previous literature the country has published on this issue into one point of reference. It also debunks popular misconceptions and myths of how the Chinese became the first country to eradicate extreme poverty.

China's strategy is really simple logic. You cannot wax lyrical about poverty alleviation without putting people at the core of the necessary policies and initiatives. But the exercise cannot succeed without the total commitment of leadership, which in this case was offered by the unwavering commitment of the Communist Party of China (CPC) led by President Xi Jinping.

The CPC, which this year marks a hundred years since inception, is credited for pulling China by its bootstraps after decades of, in the words of the blueprint, being "plagued by poverty at a scale and a level of severity that has rarely been seen anywhere else in the world." Indeed, the white paper is more philosophy than formula.

It is not like China lacked in the requisites for performing this arduous task. The country is blessed with millennia-old civilization propelled by a diligent and intelligent population. However, these talents needed resolute and visionary leadership to bear fruit, which has been offered unfailingly by the CPC. 

It contains the thinking behind the numbers, incorporating the human element behind the numbers. The poverty eradication strategy gives the following road map: identifying people in need to know whom to help; strengthening leadership and team-building to know how to offer help; applying targeted measures for different groups to know how to help; adopting strict criteria to know when and how to deregister those who have emerged from poverty and; conducting follow-up monitoring to help people stay out of poverty.

The report notes that among the winning strategies is the leveraging of local strengths and improvement of the economic structure of poverty-stricken areas. For instance, introduction of e-commerce, photovoltaic technology and tourism has diversified the economies of many poor areas and thus increased their market supply.

The developing world will definitely find invaluable lessons in the blueprint that could help them stop groping in the dark with short-lived and irrelevant economic policies. But this does not say that China's white paper is also a template for everyone. Rather, it shows what is practical in reality.

There is no magic bullet to poverty eradication either. It is painstakingly hard work. It involves creativity on the part of the leaders and the led because there cannot be significant gains when key players are pulling apart instead of building consensus during the process.

It's not complicated. The foundation of China's fight against poverty was based on improving the living standards of the poor through achieving the "two assurances and three guarantees." 

According to the white paper, this refers to assurances of adequate food and clothing, and guarantees of access to compulsory education, basic medical services and safe housing for impoverished rural residents. It also includes improvement of education, healthcare, housing and drinking water supplies, which effectively covers all basic needs and lays a strong foundation for future development.

Ultimately, the white paper stresses that poverty eradication must involve the target demographic. Measures aimed at improving their plight must incorporate their thinking and full buy-in. Strategies should be inclusive through a bottom-up approach. "… China fully respects the principal role of the poor and encourages them to play their part, inspires them with the motivation to fight poverty, and enhances their ability to participate in development, share the fruits of development, and achieve endogenous development."

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