James Morris, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said in Beijing Tuesday the Chinese government has achieved remarkable results in moving its people out of poverty, and that China's experience and lessons will be invaluable for WFP's work worldwide.

Morris spoke at a news conference concluding his five-day visit to China. "Having lifted 300 million of its own people out of poverty in less than a generation, China has made an unprecedented achievement in the last 25 years." Morris said.

By encouraging people to produce more and to invest more, he noted, the Chinese government is benefiting individuals, households and communities across the vast country, which are valuable lessons for WFP to learn from.

During his five-day visit to China, Morris has held talks with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. He said that besides a promise of increasing its funding for WFP operations, China also pledged to share its expertise to increase the WFP's capacity to respond to sudden food emergencies.

"We are very grateful for these vital and timely undertakings and look forward to developing a long-term mutually rewarding partnership that reflects our shared vision of a world free of hunger," Morris said.

He said the Chinese government has been an increasingly strong supporter of WFP's work at home and abroad. The Chinese government has committed US$20 million to support the agency's program in China and also pledged US$1.25 million for WFP operations elsewhere in 2004.

The agency plans to phase out food assistance to China next year. "The Chinese government knows this most compelling problem can be solved because it has been addressed so impressively here," Morris said.

Since 1979, the WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency, has supported approximately 30 million Chinese, mostly in the country's outlying mid-western region, helping them to meet their immediate food needs and facilitating the creation of community-level assets through food-for-work and food-for-training schemes.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2004)