SEPTEMBER 3, 2021
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday described China as a “role model” for the developing countries to address poverty, saying Beijing’s high economic growth has brought 800 million people out of penury. Prime Minister Khan was speaking virtually at a forum on the 20th Anniversary of Juncao Assistance and Sustainable Development Cooperation being held in Beijing, according to a statement by his office.
He said Juncao technology, which is famed as “magic grass”, is two Chinese characters meaning “mushroom” and “grass”, is one such way which helps small-scale farmers to develop low-cost and commercial-scale mushroom cultivation. The particular breed of grass was discovered by Chinese scientists to be an economical and environment-friendly substitute for timber, traditionally used as a substrate for growing mushrooms.
China is a role model for developing countries in poverty alleviation, he said, adding that its stellar growth brought 800 million people out of poverty over the last four decades. He said achievement of food security, and improved nutrition, have become an even greater challenge for developing countries. Sustainable ways of achieving economic recovery, growth and development are critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Khan said China’s leadership role in climate change is also highly appreciated and commended Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision of a prosperous, clean and beautiful world and initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. The Prime Minister said poverty alleviation and tackling climate change are his government’s key priorities.
Khan expressed his commitment to international cooperation aimed at poverty alleviation, sustainable growth and addressing climate change, saying that COVID-19 has triggered an economic meltdown and extreme poverty rose last year for the first time in over 20 years. We have launched a wide ranking social safety programme Ehsaas with an objective of uplifting marginalized people, eradicating poverty and supporting vulnerable households, he said.
He said Pakistan, being one of the most climate vulnerable countries, fully supports international efforts to combat this scourge. We are progressing towards a clean and green Pakistan. We have already planted a billion trees as part of our ten billion tree project as part of one of the most ambitious efforts to expand and restore forests, he said.
