Launched in 2024 by Tsinghua University and partner universities in Latin America – the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) – this initiative has fostered dynamic dialogue on poverty alleviation between China and Latin American countries. In 2025, the University of Chile and the University of the Pacific in Peru joined the initiative. The network continues to expand and, in 2026, the Chinese Embassy in Brazil officially came on board as a co-organizer in the country.
Notably, in November 2024 the program gained a valuable support when, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Brazil for the 19th G20 Summit, Tsinghua University Party Secretary Qiu Yong and the President of UFRJ Roberto Medronho signed a cooperation agreement on the “The China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges” program. This agreement was included in the outcomes of Xi Jinping's visit to Brazil and became a significant example of mutually beneficial development between China and Latin America.
The Poverty Alleviation Challenge plays a key role in strengthening China-Latin America cooperation, providing a platform for exchange among institutions from both regions. By fostering cross-cultural teams, the program helps develop globally competent students and promotes a renewed vision for academic collaboration.
This initiative also aims to drive innovation, support project incubation, and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. The goal is to generate high-quality outcomes and ensure the effective implementation of proposed solutions.