Greater role

K. Y. Sophal, director of the Cambodian Ministry of Rural Development's Department of Rural Economy Development, who also took part in the regional poverty reduction demonstration project, said the Chinese funds were directly channeled to the beneficiaries－the residents of the two villages. "China's expertise was instrumental in reducing poverty in both locations," Sophal added.

"The Chinese experience proved more than useful to the villagers, the local government and especially my department. The project enabled us to learn a lot about the successful experience in China," Sophal said in an online interview.

Although the project was only applied in two villages, the experience gained from it can be used to aid poverty reduction throughout Cambodia, he said.

With COVID-19 pushing more people below the poverty line in developing nations, including Cambodia, Sophal said China has a greater role to play in the global fight against extreme material deprivation.

According to official estimates in Cambodia, the poverty rate in 2014 was 13.5 percent compared with 47.8 percent in 2007, with more than 90 percent of the poor living in rural areas.

The pandemic, which has caused a sharp deceleration in most of Cambodia's main growth engines, including tourism, exports and construction, has raised the rural poverty rate to 20 percent, Sophal said.

Xu Xiuli, dean of China Agricultural University's College of International Development and Global Agriculture, said future international development assistance from China could place more focus on poverty reduction demonstration projects.

With the pandemic threatening to reverse the progress made toward achieving the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, China has stepped up to contribute its strength and wisdom, she said.

The most recent example of this is Xi's announcement of the $3 billion aid package for developing countries, which Xu said would be "the helping hand such nations need the most".

"China has given priority to contributing to the 2030 goals with its own development aid to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind," she said.

"Poverty alleviation and reducing inequality will continue to be China's strong focus."