On October 21, 2011, Head of the Foreign Ministry's Poverty Alleviation Leading Group and Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao met with the delegation led by Troels Holch Povlsen, founder of Denmark's Bestseller.

Song first of all extended welcome to Povlsen for visiting the Foreign Ministry again. He said that Povlsen, as an old friend of the Foreign Ministry and a successful Danish entrepreneur, has deep feelings with China. Bestseller is an important poverty alleviation partner of the Foreign Ministry. As a successful business, while creating wealth, it never forgets helping the poor and giving back to the society. We admire that Bestseller has helped a lot to increase the productivity and living standards of people in Jinping County and promote the development of local economy and contributed to the poverty reduction undertaking of China and the international community. The Bestseller Fund has invested more than RMB12.8 million in poverty alleviation of Jinping County and helped over 1,000 poor households of 7 natural villages get rid of poverty since it started cooperation with the Foreign Ministry in 2007. On behalf of the Foreign Ministry and the poverty-stricken regions of Yunnan Province, Song expressed deep respect and heartfelt gratitude to Bestseller.

He pointed out that China's development is fast but unbalanced in different regions and the country still has a long way to go in terms of poverty alleviation. We promise never to walk away from the two counties until they get rid of poverty. We also sincerely hope to have long-term cooperation with Bestseller on the lofty undertaking of poverty alleviation. The Foreign Ministry attaches great importance to this partnership which is well underway and very productive. We are committed to making sound project management and implementation.

Povlsen said that his business in China for more than 30 years has reaped great economic benefits. Bestseller will continue to follow the ancient Chinese philosophy of "taking from the people and giving back to the people" and be committed to philanthropy. He expects to maintain the long-term cooperative relations with the Foreign Ministry.