Wang Mingrong (L front), a deputy to the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), listens at the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2013. Women's presence in China's politics has been increasing in recent decades. The number of female deputies to the 12th National People's Congress and members of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) rise to 699 and 399, reaching 23.4% and 18.4% of the total respectively. [Xinhua]