Michael Klein, managing director of the Bank, says that the positive results of China's efforts to reduce poverty, especially by means of boosting the private sector, is a surprise to him and many other foreigners.

He pledges that he will introduce and promote the experience to countries that are also troubled by poverty.

Official statistics shows that China's private sector creates about six million jobs annually, three fourths of the country's new employment opportunities.

This greatly helps the efforts to alleviate poverty.

The number of people living under the poverty line in China dropped from 250 million in 1978 to 29 million by the end of last year.

(CRI April 14, 2004)