Interview: Former Hungarian PM advocates learning from China's anti-poverty experience

Former Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy has said that he was enthusiastic about China's idea of sharing its successful experience in battling poverty.

"China's efforts to eradicate poverty in recent decades, especially in the last ten years, have been extremely successful," Medgyessy told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday.

The former prime minister and economic expert attended the International Forum on Sharing Poverty Reduction Experience as a keynote speaker. The forum was held in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday. More than 200 representatives from over 60 countries and regions, as well as over 20 international organizations, participated in the forum online or offline.

"The great thing is that China, in line with the ambitions of the UN (United Nations) 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, has achieved the desired goal ten years earlier," he said.

China's anti-poverty success was of great significance, because it can be an example followed by many other countries, said Medgyessy.

"China has made great strides in realizing its aspirations, setting a great example for countries around the world," he said.

Noting that the second phase of poverty reduction no longer meant the eradication of deep poverty, but more so of the reduction of relative poverty, he described relative poverty as the disparities that occur continuously in society as a result of development.

Setting long-term goals and reaching these in a systematic, consistent way was the key to China's success, Medgyessy said, adding that poverty eradication was based on "economic growth, stability and harmony in development."

He noted that the determination of the political leadership was also of the utmost importance.

Although China's success cannot be separated from its context, its experience can be disseminated internationally, as it is worth learning from for other countries, Medgyessy said.

"China's development and poverty eradication are also affecting other countries in Asia, Africa, and even Europe, as successful development in China is a driving force for any country that has some form of economic relationship with China," Medgyessy said.

He recalled that China's development was accompanied by an increase in trade turnover, which helps create investment and jobs.

Medgyessy believed that China intended to share its poverty reduction experience.

"Personally, I expect China to continue its policy of communicating to the world its own achievements and the methods it has chosen, and to continue to help poor countries with experience and financial means," he said.