On 15 December, the China–New Zealand Poverty Reduction and Development Seminar, jointly hosted by the Chinese Consulate-General in Auckland and the CNSST Foundation, was held in Auckland. Consul General Chen Shijie attended the event and delivered a speech.

New Zealand Members of Parliament Jenny Salesa and Rawiri Waititi, National President and Auckland Branch President of the New Zealand–China Friendship Society Mike Dawson, and Executive Director of the CNSST Foundation Jenny Wang delivered remarks. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and Zhong Zhirong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Sichuan Province, addressed the seminar via video link. Around 80 representatives from various sectors attended the event.

Consul General Chen noted that, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people won the largest, most intensive, and most far-reaching poverty alleviation battle in human history in just eight years, achieving the historic elimination of absolute poverty for the first time in the history of the Chinese nation. He pointed out that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC made it clear that greater efforts should be devoted to safeguarding and improving people’s livelihoods and to steadily advancing common prosperity for all. This has laid a more solid foundation for promoting development on a new starting point and preventing a return to poverty.

Chen further stated that over 40 years since the launch of reform and opening up, China’s contribution to global poverty reduction has exceeded 70 percent. China has actively carried out international exchanges and cooperation on poverty reduction, providing Chinese wisdom and solutions to addressing poverty, a global challenge. China stands ready to work with all countries, including New Zealand, to jointly advance international poverty reduction efforts, build a world free from poverty and enjoying shared prosperity, and continue moving toward the grand goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Salesa introduced New Zealand’s achievements in advancing poverty reduction and emphasized the importance of addressing poverty from a long-term perspective. She expressed willingness to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with China to promote common development. Waititi reflected on his recent visit to China, noting that poverty among the Māori people has existed for a long time and should be addressed at both the mental and physical levels. He expressed hope for closer cooperation with China to explore pathways for poverty reduction among ethnic minorities. Dawson stated that China’s achievements in social development are increasingly understood and recognized by the international community, and that the New Zealand–China Friendship Society will continue to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, achieving mutual learning and win-win cooperation. Wang called on all sectors of society to continue paying attention to vulnerable groups and helping them create a better future.

Mayor Brown extended his best wishes for the seminar’s success in Chinese. Zhong Zhirong shared Sichuan Province’s concrete practices in poverty alleviation, outlining its achievements and experience in eliminating absolute poverty, advancing rural revitalization, and building a higher-level “Tianfu Granary” in the new era. He expressed willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with New Zealand in areas such as agricultural science and technology, industrial integration, and talent exchanges, and to jointly contribute to global poverty reduction efforts.

The seminar featured two panels, namely “Poverty Reduction and Development” and “Supporting Vulnerable Groups.” Representatives and experts from local governments, non-governmental organizations, universities, and Chinese-funded enterprises in New Zealand shared views and responded to questions.

The event was conducted in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Participants unanimously agreed that the seminar offered a deep appreciation of China’s remarkable achievements in achieving its own poverty reduction goals and its important contributions to global poverty reduction. They emphasized the need for the two countries to strengthen experience sharing and exchanges, continuously improve social governance, and ensure that development outcomes benefit the peoples of both countries more broadly.