The remarks were made by Wu Donghe, a senior official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Western Forum of China being held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. The disparity in regional development, a major issue China is to solve in the process of accelerating western development, is also a global problem, Wu said. Governments of all countries are working at a long-term arduous task of narrowing regional disparity. The experience accumulated by China, the largest developing country in the world, will provide other countries, especially the developing countries, with useful reference. Meanwhile, China will draw on the experience and lessons of other countries in boosting the economy in under-developed areas, he said.
Poverty is the greatest challenge to mankind.
Over 90 percent of China's impoverished population live in the country's central and western parts. The western development program closely links with the anti-poverty task. The two promote each other, he added. China's poverty reduction efforts benefit not only China's stability and prosperity, but also world peace and progress, Wu concluded.