Dr. Kim receives People's Daily interveiw. (Photo by Yin Miao/People's Daily)

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has common friends with President Xi Jinping in Muscatine, Iowa.

In an interview with People’s Daily prior to the UN 70th anniversary summits in New York from Sept 26-28, which President Xi will attend, Dr. Kim said the town of Muscatine President Xi visited 30 years ago was where he himself grew up.

Xi Jinping revisited old friends in Muscatine in 2012.

(photo/Xinhua)

Born in 1959 in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Kim moved with his family to the United States at the age of five and grew up in Muscatine, Iowa.

“I can feel that he has a profound understanding about the U.S. society every time President Xi and I talk about our common friends in Muscatine,” Kim said.

Kim also praised China’s achievements in poverty reduction. China’s achievement and successful experience will play an even bigger role in helping other developing countries, he added.

In the meantime, Kim said, the World Bank will join hands with Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and China’s National Development Bank in efforts to help eradicate extreme poverty in Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world.