Business
China's e-commerce development model to transform rural economy around world: webinar
Ma Xiaowen  ·  2020-09-30  ·   Source: Web Exclusive

A Webinar on China’s rural e-commerce development is held on September 26, 2020. The webinar was cohosted by Alibaba Group, AliResearch, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), WFP China Center of Excellence (COURTESY PHOTO) 

"Digital technology can rapidly transform rural areas and serve as a powerful tool for eliminating poverty," Wen Jia, Partner and President of the Public Affairs Department, Alibaba Group, said at a webinar on September 26.  

The webinar was co-hosted by Alibaba Group, AliResearch, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and the WFP China Center of Excellence. 

"We are glad to see that a lot of officials and entrepreneurs from countries, including Thailand, Rwanda, Indonesia and Columbia, have visited Taobao Villages to learn about China’s experience," Wen said. 

Wen said Alibaba's willingness to share its experience of Taobao Villages, thereby allowing digital technology and platforms to benefit more people all over the world. 

According to AliResearch, Alibaba's research arm, Taobao Villages are those with more than 100 online stores and annual e-commerce transactions of over 10 million yuan ($1.48 million). 

Stanlake Samkange senior Director of Strategic Partnerships Division at the World Food Programme (WFP), said at the webinar that while China is expected to end extreme poverty by the end of this year, the private sector has played a key role in enabling digital and inclusive growth.  

"It is critical for other countries to understand how they could learn from China's experience, especially low-income countries, to help them achieve the sustainable development goals, including the elimination of hunger," Samkange said. 

He said that due to the corona virus disease (COVID-19), the number of people with acute food insecurity could increase by 80 percent to 270 million by the end of 2020, and global unemployment could also increase by almost 25 million. 

He said that what's working with China has the potential of transforming rural economies around the world, especially through e-commerce and in the context of COVID-19.  

According to him, China has been contributing to WFP's food assistance programs to more than 30 countries in the world and providing technical assistance. The collaboration has expanded to include the area of global humanitarian logistics.  

Luo Xubei, Senior Economist of World Bank, said that e-commerce development in China has helped create job opportunities "through backward and forward linkages" in the business ecosystem.  

Clarisse Iribagiza, Founder of Hehe, now the largest e-commerce business in Rwanda, said China's e-commerce model has inspired her to see e-commerce as a way to optimize agricultural supply chains in African rural areas and build an end-to-end platform.  

Joshua Aragon, Co-founder of Zagana.com, shared his experience of launching an everyday retail platform to efficiently provide low-cost fresh quality food to households in 19 active cities in the Philippines while improving the livelihood of farmers. He was a beneficiary of Alibaba's e-commerce training programs.  

According to the annual report released by AliResearch on the 8th China Taobao Village Forum held in Suning County, Hebei Province on the same day, the total sales volume vendors from Taobao Villages from July 1, 2019 to June 31, 2020 had exceeded one trillion yuan ($146.6 billion). By June 31, 2020, the number of Taobao Villages in China reaches 5425, nearly one percent of all villages in the country, creating 8.28 million jobs for its rural residents. 

Copyedited by Madhusudan Chaubey  

Email to maxiaowen@bjreview.com 

China
Opinion
World
Business
Lifestyle
Video
Multimedia
 
China Focus
Documents
Special Reports
 
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise with Us
Subscribe
Partners: China.org.cn   |   China Today   |   China Pictorial   |   People's Daily Online   |   Women of China   |   Xinhua News Agency   |   China Daily
CGTN   |   China Tibet Online   |   China Radio International   |   Global Times   |   Qiushi Journal
Copyright Beijing Review All rights reserved 京ICP备08005356号 京公网安备110102005860