Sri Lankan official highlights people-centric approach as key to China's success in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization

On October 31, 2024, the Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum convened in Beijing, China, under the theme "Jointly Promoting Poverty Reduction and Building Beautiful and Harmonious Villages."

At the forum, Arjuna Wickramasinghe, Commissioner from Sri Lanka’s Department of Agrarian Development, shared his insights during an exclusive interview with Guangming Online.

Wickramasinghe highlighted the valuable lessons drawn from China’s approach to poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, praising the effectiveness of its people-centric philosophy. In contrast to the top-down methods often seen in many developing countries, including Sri Lanka, he emphasized that China’s model prioritizes understanding and addressing the genuine needs of its people, bolstered by strong leadership and consistent project monitoring.

Building on these insights, Wickramasinghe expressed his intention to adapt elements of China’s model to support Sri Lanka’s journey toward sustainable poverty alleviation.