Progress highlighted in women's development

China has made all-around progress in promoting gender equality and women's comprehensive development in the new era, with these fruitful results benefiting Chinese women and offering the world a vivid example of women's advancement, officials said on Friday.

"Chinese women's senses of accomplishment, happiness and security have reached an unprecedentedly high level as the nation insists to securing women's rights during development and improving women's life through development," said Huang Xiaowei, deputy head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, China's Cabinet, at a news conference in Beijing.

Huang, who is also vice-president and first member of the secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, said that Chinese women's health conditions, average life expectancy, education level and rate of joining basic social insurance programs have all greatly improved in the new era, and women have shown their talent in different sectors including cutting-edge technologies, e-commerce, culture and grassroots governance.

A white paper was also released during the news conference, explaining China's philosophy, principles and practices in promoting gender equality and women's well-rounded development in the new era, as well as China's commitment to joining global endeavors for women's advancement.

The white paper shows China's results in practicing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, landmark global policy documents for gender equality and women's empowerment reached at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, and is a prelude to the 2025 Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, which will be held in Beijing.

According to the white paper, Chinese women's average life expectancy reached 80.9 years in 2020. The maternal mortality rate dropped by 76.9 percent to 14.3 in every 100,000 persons in 2024 from 61.9 in every 100,000 persons in 1995, much lower than the world's average level.

Huang said that the women's cause in China has entered a golden period under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and has accumulated experience during this process.

"We've encouraged women to integrate their personal dreams and family happiness with the nation's rejuvenation. Also, the nation has adhered to the basic national policy of gender equality and taken full consideration of the gender gap and women's interests when enacting laws, formulating policies and drafting plans to let women gain coordinated advancement with socioeconomic development," she said, adding that the nation gives full respect to women and inspires women to be confident, self-reliant, and play their roles in social and family life.

Astronaut Wang Yaping, also a part-time vice-president of the All-China Women's Federation, took herself as an example and said at the news conference that she and many women in China can be devoted to technological innovation without worries because of the strong support from the nation, such as relaxing women's age limits to apply for funded research programs and establishing flexible working schedules at research centers to ease the burden on women who are breastfeeding.

Huang said that China has established friendly relations with over 420 international women's organizations, agencies and United Nations agencies.

China has so far helped over 180 countries and regions to cultivate 200,000 female talents and offered employment assistance to women in more than 100 countries.

"Modernization is the common pursuit of different countries in the world, so we have to generate strength through women's unity and promote gender equality and women's comprehensive development at a higher level. China hopes to work with the world and create a better future for women's development," Huang said.