In the afternoon of September 19,2023,Mr. Liu Junwen, Director General of International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC) met with guests from the World Bank, headed by Ms. Anne Wellenstein, Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific in the Bank’s Sustainable Development Practice Group. The two sides reviewed the 30-year achievements made between China and the World Bank in poverty reduction area and exchanged views on potential cooperation aspects，and reached consensus on further deepening the bilateral cooperation.

Liu welcomed Wellenstein for her visit and expressed his appreciation for the long-term support provided by the Bank. After reviewing the six inter-provincial comprehensive poverty alleviation loan programs implemented by the Bank in China over the past three decades, Liu said that the bilateral cooperation has brought advanced poverty reduction concepts to China, trained a group of specialized grassroot-level talents, as well as provided important policy and theoretical support for the formulation of China's poverty reduction strategies.

According to Liu, China is at the stage of consolidating its poverty alleviation achievements and moving towards rural revitalization where strengthened communication and deepened cooperation are required from both sides to make new progress in developing intellectual properties and pushing forward the ongoing loan program on green agriculture and rural revitalization.

Wellenstein, for her part, acknowledged the remarkable achievements China has made in poverty reduction over the past a few decades, which, indicates the creativity and determination of the Chinese government and its people.

The World Bank is proud to be a partner to China in its poverty reduction cause and is very willing to share China's experience with other developing countries, said the Bank’s Regional Director. Noting that the two sides have implemented new cooperation in agricultural and rural development area, Wellenstein hopes that the program could become a pilot program in green agriculture and green rural area. She also looked forward to deepening cooperation with China in many other areas related to sustainable development.

M.Yaa Pokua Afriyie Oppong, Regional Coordinator of World Bank Sustainable Development Practice Group Asia-Pacific Region, Ladisy Komba Chengula, Director-General of World Bank China Office Agriculture Team, Cao Wendao, World Bank Senior Agricultural Economist, together with IPRCC officials from Cooperation and Foreign Affairs Divisions also attended the meeting.