On July 18-20, 2018, the "Asia-Pacific E-commerce Poverty Alleviation Mechanism and Experience Seminar" was held in Beijing. The event was organized by the Agricultural Information Institute at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Center for International Agricultural Research with the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China's international cooperation and exchange project on "Implementation Mechanism and Effect Evaluation of Precision Poverty Alleviation and Internet Poverty Alleviation." Leaders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Department of International Cooperation of CAAS attended the conference and delivered speeches. The opening ceremony was presided over by Nie Fengying, Vice Director of the Agricultural Information Institute and Deputy Director of the Center for International Agricultural Research of CAAS.

Nie Fengying pointed out that with the innovation of Internet information technology in recent years, e-commerce has become one of the important driving forces for promoting economic development in the Asia-Pacific region. The rise of rural e-commerce in the digital age is quietly spreading from urban to rural areas. The impact of emerging rural e-commerce on poverty alleviation in China may also be of great significance for enhancing economic development and social inclusiveness in other Asia-Pacific economies.                                  

Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference

Twenty-three young researchers from economies including Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office, and delegates from Gansu, Yunnan, Shaanxi, and Guizhou provinces, e-commerce company representatives, experts from various universities and research institutes, and researchers and students from the Agricultural Information Institute participated in the seminar.

The participants took a group photo as a memento of the seminar.

During the conference, experts and scholars from both domestic and international institutions provided in-depth interpretations of current policies, achievements, issues, and prospects in the development of rural e-commerce. Participants engaged in extensive discussions on the theory and practice of e-commerce development and value chain transformation. The seminar played a significant role in facilitating ideological exchanges and cross-regional e-commerce cooperation in the field of poverty reduction.

Dr. Chen Zhigang, Senior Researcher and Director of the East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia Office at the International Food Policy Research Institute; Nie Fengying, Researcher and Vice Director of the Center for International Agricultural Research and Vice Director of the Agricultural Information Institute of CAAS; Anda Manabu, Director and Researcher at the Japan Institute for China and Asia Agricultural and Food Issues; Prof. Guo Hongdong, Vice Dean of the China Rural Development Research Institute and Director of the Rural E-commerce Research Center at Zhejiang University; Dr. Li Min, Chief Policy Expert at JD Group; Zhou Hui, Vice President of YiGuo Group; Dr. Li Mingtao, Researcher and Director of the China International Electronic Commerce Center Research Institute; and Mr. Song He, General Manager of Business Cooperation Department at China Supply and Marketing E-commerce Co., Ltd,Xiang Chulei, Director of China Post Network Technology Co., Ltd. (Youle Agricultural Products), Chen Liang, Chief Operating Officer of Zhejiang Ganjie E-commerce Co., Ltd., Zhou Qiuping, President of Haiken Grass and Animal Husbandry Industry Group, Hainan Agricultural E-commerce Expert, and representatives from Qingshui County, Gansu Province, Huize County, Yunnan Province, Zhen'an County, Shaanxi Province, and Puding County, Guizhou Province, shared their insights during the conference.

After the seminar, some foreign expert participants visited the Precision Agriculture Demonstration Base in Xiaotangshan, Changping District, Beijing, to understand the current development status of precision agriculture. Through in-depth exchanges and innovative development discussions, participants reached cooperation intentions in agricultural product e-commerce poverty alleviation, enhancing collaboration opportunities.