European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde recently spoke about China's poverty reduction, environmental governance, and institutional strengths during an exclusive interview with a flagship talk program.
Lagarde stated that lifting 800 million people out of poverty is a stunning achievement.
In response to a question about which aspects of China's development and transformation impressed her most after multiple visits to the country and meetings with Chinese leaders, Lagarde said the first thing that comes to mind should be China's success in poverty alleviation.
She noted that China mobilized the entire nation to advance poverty reduction, lifting hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty.
When the reporter confirmed the figure of 800 million people, Lagarde reiterated that it is indeed a stunning achievement.
The second point, which she witnessed firsthand, is China's concrete response to the threat of climate change.
Lagarde said China has placed great emphasis on air and water quality, strengthened waste treatment and recycling, and achieved remarkable results.
She acknowledged that not all problems have been solved and China has not stopped emitting carbon dioxide, but noted that few countries with such a large emissions base and such a huge population could achieve what China has.
Looking back at China's reform and opening-up and modernization process, Lagarde said she believes China has fully leveraged its political system advantages and organizational capacity, and actively integrated into global trade.
To a large extent, she said, China has eliminated poverty — or at least significantly reduced the number of its impoverished citizens — encouraged entrepreneurship, and advanced reforms.
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