The 16th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction opens on Tuesday in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo by Zhang Li/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Aiming to strengthen exchanges on poverty reduction and jointly build a prosperous homeland in the post-pandemic era, the 16th ASEAN-China Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction kicked off on Tuesday in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Around 150 participants attended the event online and offline, sharing their own experience of successful poverty reduction, learning the visions and models of other countries. They included ministers responsible for poverty reduction from ASEAN countries, officials of the National Rural Revitalization Administration, diplomats from embassies and consulates of ASEAN member states in China, experts and scholars specialized in poverty reduction and rural development and representatives from international organizations and NGOs.

"Poverty eradication and development are the common goals of mankind, as well as the broad consensus and deep concern of China and ASEAN member states.The forum aims to share poverty reduction and rural development experience, serving as a platform for in-depth exchanges of views, reaching consensus, mutual learning and common development among all parties," Liu Huanxin, administrator of National Rural Revitalization Administration of China, said in his opening speech.

Ouk Rabun, minister of Rural Development of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said that Cambodia has continued to implement policies to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on businesses and people's incomes and to support economic recovery.

"We have always believed that joint efforts are needed to tackle many development challenges. Now that we are in the recovery phase, making joint efforts is even more necessary. I look forward to the exchange of experience in poverty reduction and rural development through this forum," the minister said.

The forum will run until Friday.