The Civil Society 20 (C20) Conference of 2016 got off to a promising start in Qingdao this Tuesday. The theme of this year’s C20 is “poverty eradication, green development, and innovation: the role of civil society”.
The conference is co-organized by the China NGO Network for International Exchanges and the UN Association of China. Over 210 representatives from 170 Chinese and overseas civil organizations have been invited to attend. As an important supplement to the G20 summit, the C20 conference is a platform from which civil society can provide recommendations for governments and all sectors of society.
During the conference’s inauguration, state councilor Yang Jiechi read a congratulatory letter by Chinese president Xi Jingping personally signed by the Chinese leader. The letter stated that civil society organizations are a major force for encouraging people to get involved in public affairs and boost economic and social development. It also affirmed that the Chinese government welcomes overseas NGOs to exchange and cooperate with domestic organizations and will try to create a sound legal environment to facilitate their activities and ensure their legitimate rights.
The Secretary General of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) Liu Wenkui delivered a keynote speech during the main forum – the Role of NGOs in Poverty Reduction. As Mr. Liu stated: “for NGOs, there is a lot to do in reducing poverty. The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation will contribute to narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor and reducing global poverty by continuously improving our capacity and devoting ourselves to global disaster relief and poverty reduction”.
