HONG KONG, 19th May 2015 - In the inaugural program of the Jack Tang Memorial Lecture Series on 19th May, the Asia Society Hong Kong Center hosted experts on development in China to honor the legacy of one of the founders of the Center. Christophe Bahuet, China Country Director, United Nations Development Programme; Brett Rierson, China Representative, World Food Programme, and Yimei Chen, Executive Director, China Development Brief convened in Hong Kong to discuss how poverty and inequality in China can be reduced in a sustainable way true to the country’s social values and cultural identity.

The lecture series is an annual program established through the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Tang to pay tribute to Dr. Jack Tang, a prominent business leader, educator and philanthropist. In his remarks to the audience, Martin Tang, Jack’s son, said, that his father’s desire, in his own words, was not “to be the most powerful person in the community or the wealthiest, just somebody who wants to do the best and be satisfied that I have done the best.” In his later years, he wanted to help ease the plight of the rural population in China.

In the program moderated by by Yuen Chan, Lecturer, School of Journalism & Communication, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Mr. Bahuet, Mr. Rierson, and Ms. Chen, discussed how alleviating poverty requires the government to work together with not-for-profit organizations and the private sector, and detail how these three sectors can effectively work together for greater impact.

China Development Brief’s Ms. Chen emphasized, “China’s development needs remain vast, from providing basic needs to training communities new skills that will help them adapt to changing markets and allow them to find new sources of income. With many households still lacking access to institutional finance, microfinance, with the right support, can be an effective tool for promoting poverty reduction for households. Often, this still needs to be introduced with other skills training.”

Mr. Bahuet further commented, “Significantly reducing the remaining poverty in China will be challenging. It will require effective new policies and innovative approaches. As importantly, it will also require the full involvement of the private and the non-profit sectors that can bring to the poorest resources and opportunities to improve their lives and escape poverty.”

Besides from policy making, the panel also discussed the role of technology, the Chinese medical insurance system, and the “Hukou” system in poverty alleviation.

Ronnie C. Chan, Chair of Asia Society Hong Kong Center and Co-Chair of Asia Society, and S. Alice Mong, Executive Director of ASHK also made remarks on the opening of the Jack Tang Memorial Lecture Series.

Video: Watch the complete program (1 hr. 7 min.)