Colombian economist Carlos Martinez Becerra spoke highly of China's remarkable achievement in eradicating absolute poverty and highlighted the importance of Colombia-China cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
As the chief economist at the National University of Colombia, Becerra highlighted China's success in lifting 800 million people out of poverty over the past four decades.
"No other country or region in the world has managed to lift over 800 million people out of poverty in such a short time. This population size is nearly equivalent to that of Europe and North America combined, and no other region has achieved this in such a brief period. Therefore, China's model is crucial for us. We need to study it carefully and compare it with our current practices to identify areas for improvement," said Becerra during a recent interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
While committed to eradicating poverty at home, China has not worked in isolation. It has collaborated with other countries to reduce poverty worldwide, fostering a global community with a shared future for mankind.
China has launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to expand deep, high-level regional cooperation on economic and social development and help countries alleviate poverty.
According to a World Bank study, the BRI-related investments will help 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million out of moderate poverty.
"China has proposed a global cooperation strategy known as the BRI. This initiative aims to enhance infrastructure development across countries, focusing on areas such as railways, highways, ports, airports, and waterways. Additionally, it holds significant importance in sectors like satellite communications. Overall, these elements represent the core of the initiative. In terms of the China-Colombia relationship, their cooperation primarily centers on infrastructure development. Chinese enterprises have actively participated in projects such as the Bogota metro, the Bogota regional train, one of the metro lines in Medellin, and other infrastructure projects," said Becerra.
China plays pivotal role in global cooperation, poverty eradication: Colombian economist
China plays pivotal role in global cooperation, poverty eradication: Colombian economist
