China kicked off a two-week seminar in Beijing on Monday providing a platform for officials and experts from the country and South Asian nations to share respective experience in poverty reduction.

About 20 officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka are taking part in the seminar which provides courses on China's basic situation and development, and its experience and achievements in reducing poverty since the implementation of reform and opening-up policy three decades ago.

Chinese officials and experts will also exchange views on such topics as international cooperation in reducing poverty and development, and rural development and poverty reduction in south Asian countries.

The officials will also travel to the central Hubei Province to visit local poverty reduction programs.

Wu Zhong, head of the international cooperation and poverty reduction department of the State Council's Leading Group Office on Poverty Alleviation and Development, addressed the seminar opening ceremony. Wu said the seminar would provide a chance for attendees to have a better understanding of China's efforts and experience in reducing poverty.

Bhuban Karki, Nepalese Ministry of Finance undersecretary, said the seminar was "very impressive" as it provided "a platform for officials from different countries to share experience with each other."

Bangladeshi finance official Mohammad Khairul Hasan said his colleagues and himself were "eager" to know how China could "gain the momentum of rapid development."

Wu said, the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC), co-sponsor of the seminar, has provided special training courses for 222 senior- and middle-ranking officials from 62 developing countries since its 2005 establishment.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2008)