Women work toward change

A1: Women are more attentive and empathetic. They are usually more concerned about their employees from a humanistic angle. Take me for example: I often organize activities for my staff members such as watching movies as well as prepare tea and refreshments for them. At the end of last year, we went to see Secret Superstar, an Indian musical. Moreover, we have many sports groups such as for marathon running. I love it, and it helps improve our willpower and concentration at work.

A2: I read this book a couple of years ago. Sheryl had a hard time. She has experience at all levels in the company (Facebook). But a happy family is as important as a successful career. A woman’s achievement is not only based on her career, but also on a harmonious family and well-educated children.

A3: This phenomenon is likely to happen, since education for children is very important. For example, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor) is a very good female leader, but she was willing to sacrifice her chance of promotion when her child was young. She knows how and when to make concessions. And there are many opportunities for full-time mothers if they want to work. It’s just a matter of determination, as our country has lots of encouraging policies.

A4: The social status of our women has greatly improved since the start of reform and opening-up. In cities in South China, the changes are more obvious. I remember a survey by the All-China Women’s Federation that showed 92 percent of women in China endorsed the concept of equal pay for equal work. As the nation has developed, the status of women has generally been enhanced.

"The social status of our women has greatly improved since the start of reform and opening-up. In cities in South China, the changes are more obvious. I remember a survey by the All-China Women's Federation that showed 92 percent of women in China endorsed the concept of equal pay for equal work. As the nation has developed, the status of women has generally been enhanced."

When Huang Xiqin took a job as an appraiser after graduating from university in 1992, her occupation was a strange concept to most Chinese people.

"On the Chinese mainland, there were no more than 100 appraisers," said Huang, chairwoman of Guozhonglian Appraisals and a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Shenzhen in Guangdong province, where her company is headquartered, was the first Chinese mainland city to introduce the value consulting industry thanks to the reform and opening-up policies launched in 1978. It was not until 1996 that such qualification examinations were made available nationwide, she said.

"We had to learn from our neighbor Hong Kong. At that time, many of the appraisal reports in Shenzhen were written in traditional Chinese characters, which are widely used in Hong Kong," Huang said.

Enthusiastic about the new industry, Huang devoted almost all of her time to studying and she went on to pass three of the qualification tests for appraisers between 1996 and 1998.

It was challenging. The test for asset appraisers, for example, requires knowledge on almost all items related to company balance sheets. One of the subjects is electromechanical engineering, and examinees must master all major indexes of large-scale equipment in China in order to pass, Huang said.

"I was so busy that I could only finish work at 8 pm. I'd go to the library and stay there studying until closing time. After going home, I continued studying until midnight," she said. "I kept going like this for more than seven years."

Though tired and having almost no time for entertainment, Huang said she was thankful for the reform and opening-up policy that enabled Shenzhen to pioneer in many aspects and allowed her company to develop.

With branches in at least 21 cities nationwide, Guozhonglian Appraisals, established in 1998, has seen its annual revenue increase by 20 percent a year on average.

Huang said a government plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area may soon be made public, and she has been thinking about how to contribute to the area's development with her expertise.