Chinese women are closing the gap with men in higher education, making up almost 44 percent of students, said Gu Xiulian, vice-president of the All-China Women's Federation, China's largest women's organization, in Beijing Thursday.

The country now has 3.97 million female students in institutions of higher learning, or 43.95 percent of all the students, six percentage points more than five years ago.

Colleges and universities had 2.67 million more female students than five years ago, said Gu, also vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Women's health had improved remarkably, with 3,067 maternity and care establishments set up nationally, and 86 percent of pregnant women and young mothers receiving pre- and post-natal care.

Some 78.8 percent babies were born in hospitals, representing an increase of 12 percentage points over five years ago.

The average life expectancy of Chinese women was 73.6 years, 3.8 years more than that of men, statistics show.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2003)