China's Perspective on Poverty and International Development
WCIU Journal: Area Studies Topic
June 24, 2021
Yalin Xin, PhD, is associate professor of intercultural studies at William Carey International University and the Director of WCIU’s Institute of China Studies. His research interest includes Christian renewal and revitalization movements and Christianity in China.
by Yalin Xin
Preface
In these reports from WCIU’s Institute of China Studies, I am intending to give readers a chance to see China's perspective on the China story. The fact is that often times valuable lessons are filtered out by Western political lenses. Interested readers can engage in reading the full official documents and do related research to evaluate various claims from China and the West.. I don’t engage with controversial topics on China, not because abuses do not exist there, but because I don't have the capacity to do a fair job. I like to engage readers in "obvious" bridges of international development through the China experience, such as the experience and lessons in China's efforts toward international development, and the country’s escape from poverty in four decades. I am also hoping to introduce WCIU's philosophy of international development through my writing so that readers may develop an integrated framework of international development.
How is China Redefining International Development?
The recently published official document of “China’s International Development Cooperation in the New Era” brought new contents to the evolving scope of international development. The white paper highlights the notions of universal harmony as the ideal and repaying kindness with kindness as foundational for China’s sharing of its experiences with the world for betterment of lives among the international community.
Unique to China’s approaches to development cooperation are, 1) “South-South cooperation” as distinguished from North-South cooperation. China sees itself as the world’s largest developing economy that provides mutual assistance between developing countries; 2) Belt and Road Initiatives as public goods China offers to the world and a platform for international development cooperation, to “ build the Belt and Road into a path towards peace, prosperity, opening up, innovation, green development, cultural exchanges, and clean government.” 3) “helping other developing countries to pursue the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” This is especially timely given the fact that the pandemic has caused serious challenges to the agenda, and China has already extended its helping hand to other developing nations moderating the effect of the pandemic.
It’s also interesting to note the principles of China’s international development cooperation that include:
Respecting each other as equals. It calls for respect of one another as equals in international development cooperation and rejects interference in other countries’ internal affairs or pursuing political self-interest.
Focusing on development and improving people’s lives. China stresses “investment in poverty alleviation, disaster relief, education, health care, agriculture, employment, environmental protection, and climate change response, and actively participates in emergency humanitarian relief operations.”
Providing the means for independent development. It aims at empowering developing countries to “tap their own potential for diversified, independent and sustainable development” through sharing of experience and technologies and providing training to locals.
Being open and inclusive to promote exchanges and mutual learning. International development cooperation should be “based on the principle that projects should be proposed, agreed and led by recipient countries.”
While the West has historically defined what development means and the agenda of development, China’s initiative may cause us to pause and critically re-examine our understanding and practice. At WCIU we believe that the goal of development should take into consideration the biblical concept of shalom—right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the creation. Development is a dynamic process of change and growth. It is most effective when generated from within a socio-cultural system. Development that aims at seeing societies transformed provides not only options and resources for physical and social betterment, but also hope and biblical answers for spiritual questions and needs. We emphasize integration of biblical, cultural, and historical insights as well as insights from various academic disciplines, which are often isolated from each other, in their contribution to international development. (Refer to the current WCIU catalog for a complete description of WCIU’s philosophy of international development.)
How Is China’s Story of Eradication of Extreme Poverty Relevant in International Development?
On February 25, 2021, China declared victory in its fight against poverty, an eight-year effort since 2012, lifting the final 98.99 million rural residents out of extreme poverty. This is obviously one of the biggest achievements since China launched the “reform and opening up” in 1978, when there were about 800 million people in China who lived in poverty. In other words, it accounts for 70 per cent of global poverty reduction for the past four decades and met poverty eradication target in the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of the schedule.
In the subsequently published white paper titled Poverty Alleviation: China’s Experience and Contribution by the State Council Information Office in April 2021, it delineates how China reached this milestone as a nation and also part of the global community. It is intended to “introduce China’s approach, and share its experience and actions in poverty alleviation” (2). The document starts with a historical retrospect of CPC and its role in establishing the People’s Republic of China, but highlights the period of “reform and opening up” beginning in 1978 under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping when significant efforts were made in economic reform and development in face of the daunting challenge of a large scale impoverished population, which signified the beginning of China’s “development-driven” approach to poverty alleviation.
The 70-page white paper provides detailed examples of projects along with the narrative. While reports and responses from the West focused primarily on challenging the validity of China’s claim or the “metrics” of China’s poverty line, they missed out the valuable lessons that can be learned here. Here are some insights gleaned that may be relevant, especially to the nations and peoples currently fighting poverty.
Highlighting poverty alleviation in the governance of the country, namely, policies and plans are introduced, systems established, and national resources are pooled for the cause (49). The document attributes China’s socialist system as a given advantage in that it has “the ability to pool resources on major endeavors” (51).
Development-driven approach to poverty eradication. By reforming innovatively in the context of China, i.e., household contract responsibility system, socialist market economy, China has seen steady economic growth and social development.
Identifying and removing institutional and structural causes of poverty, and making adjustments to strategies and policies constantly “as circumstances and local conditions change” (53).
Recognizing that the poor are “the main players in eliminating poverty,” and enhancing the ability of the poor to participate in development through educational opportunities or vocational training, for instance. (54).
Meeting not only needs for food and clothing, access to compulsory education, basic medical services, and safe housing, but also laying foundation for sustainable development and continuous improvement of the welfare of those who are lifted out of poverty.
China is offering to share its experience, promote international cooperation, and extend assistance in the global cause of poverty alleviation.