On July 30, 2026, Amb. Jiang Feng, head of Mission of China to the AU and Representative of China to the UNECA published an op-ed entitled Sowing the Seeds of Poverty Alleviation Across Africa’s Promising Lands in the mainstream media of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Herald. The full text is as follows:

From the vast farmlands south of the Sahara to rural settlements on the East African highlands, breaking free from poverty and leading stable, prosperous lives is the most heartfelt aspiration of hundreds of millions of African people. In May this year, the 2026 High-Level Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development was successfully held in Beijing, turning global attention once again to China. Having lifted nearly 100 million people out of extreme poverty and contributed over 70 percent to global poverty reduction efforts, China is sharing its poverty alleviation insights with the world through a more open mindset and pragmatic actions, injecting fresh momentum into Africa’s development.

China’s achievements in poverty reduction speak for themselves through hard data. Over the past decades, China has eradicated absolute poverty in a historic feat, attaining the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a decade ahead of schedule. Underpinning this milestone is a China-developed solution rooted in national realities and focused on fostering internal growth momentum: targeted, tailored policies for every household; robust development of distinctive industries to boost residents’ incomes through labor; upgraded infrastructure to remove bottlenecks holding back rural progress; and comprehensive social security safeguards ensuring no one is left behind. This model of "generating self-sustaining growth" rather than relying on one-off handouts aligns perfectly with Africa’s development needs.

What is even more encouraging is that China has built a fast track for Africa’s poverty alleviation through institutional platforms and zero-tariff policies. On May 27 this year, the Global Partnership for Poverty Reduction and Development, initiated by China together with 53 countries and nine international organizations, was officially launched. Centered on experience exchange, technical demonstration and talent training, the partnership delivers institutional public goods to advance global poverty reduction. Almost concurrently, starting May 1, China implemented full zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties, covering nearly 9,000 tariff lines and all product categories, with no political strings attached. This makes China the world’s first major economy to offer unilateral, full-coverage zero tariffs to all African diplomatic partners. Tariff cuts have translated into booming trade. African specialty products including coffee, sesame, avocados and minerals now enter China’s market of 1.4 billion consumers at far lower costs, directly driving export growth, higher foreign exchange earnings and job creation.

Vivid examples of China-Africa cooperation on poverty alleviation abound across the African continent. In Madagascar, Chinese hybrid rice has drastically boosted crop yields, putting an end to food shortages for countless families. In Rwanda, dried chili peppers enjoy brisk sales in China thanks to zero tariffs, doubling growers’ earnings and steadily expanding the industry scale. In Ethiopia, agricultural goods such as sesame and coffee clear customs rapidly via dedicated green channels, with rising export revenues lifting hundreds of thousands of farming households. In Kenya, avocados, cut flowers and other local specialties ride the zero-tariff wave to travel straight from African fields to Chinese dining tables. These cases bear witness to a powerful truth: China’s poverty alleviation expertise, Africa’s abundant resources and zero-tariff market opportunities are enabling the seeds of prosperity to take root and flourish across Africa.

China’s path to poverty elimination and its philosophy of international cooperation have won wide recognition from the international community and all sectors of African society. At the forum, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, "China has shown the world that poverty can be defeated with long-term vision, consistent policies and tangible action." Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, hailed the zero-tariff initiative as "timely", while leaders of South Africa, Kenya and many other African nations regard it as a "tremendous opportunity". Growing numbers of young Africans travel to China to study agricultural technologies, rural governance and industrial development practices, becoming key forces driving poverty reduction back home.

Poverty is a shared challenge for humanity, and eradicating it is a common global undertaking. China never imposes its own experience as a universal template. Instead, it engages African nations as equals in mutually beneficial collaboration to share its lessons and practical approaches. From institutionalized cooperation through the poverty reduction forum, to market opening via zero tariffs, to hands-on technical support in farmlands and cross-continental infrastructure connectivity, China and Africa are jointly blazing a new path of poverty alleviation built on extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits.

Blessed with vast land, abundant natural resources and hardworking people, Africa is fully capable of overcoming poverty and achieving prosperity. China’s poverty reduction experience, the Global Partnership for Poverty Reduction and Development, and zero-tariff policies offer actionable, replicable development pathways for Africa. As long as African nations leverage their native resources, rely on their people’s diligent labor and uphold pragmatic partnerships, the road to prosperity will grow broader and brighter through joint China-Africa efforts.