LUSAKA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China's success in fighting poverty could be attributed to visionary leadership and targeted approach to fighting the vice, a development expert has said.

Lewis Mwape said China's success story of lifting its people out of poverty and meeting the eradication target set by the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead should inspire African countries that have been struggling with high poverty levels.

The expert, who is also former executive director of the Zambia Council for Social Development, said one of the issues African countries should learn from China's success story was to set up long-term realistic goals targeted at particular segments of the population.

He noted that China's education system has also been tailored towards sustainable development, adding that African education needed to shift to ensure people were empowered through entrepreneurship skills.

China, he said, has been able to achieve much in its poverty eradication programs because of putting people at the center of development. This, according to the expert, has mainly been helped by the Communism ideologies which give priority to the development of people.

"China has been strategic in its development approach by ensuring that people are at the center of development. There is a need for Africa to learn from China by expanding economies and allowing citizens to participate in the economy," he said.

He said the political governance system in China has allowed its people to be proud and feeling patriotic to contribute to development. Enditem