Gu Xiulian, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and chairperson of the All-China Women's Federation, said openly that more and more Chinese women participate in management of state and social affairs. A large number of excellent women have joined in authoritative organs of various levels.

At the press conference held today by the Information Office of the State Council, Gu said that at present, 9 women are leaders of the Communist Party of China or the central government; 25 women act as ministerial-level officials in the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the State Council. Female officials account for 9.9 percent of total provincial (ministerial)-level officials. Among the in-service mayors (commissioners, prefecture governors) of 397 cities (regions, prefectures), 368 are female. Female representatives take up over 20 percent of NPC representatives.

Gu added that since the 4th World Conference on Women was held, China has strictly adhered to its commitment to the international society and "regarded gender equality as a basic state policy to promote its social development." The country has adopted a series of effective measures and made remarkable achievements in perfecting laws and policies, improving organizations and organs, and strengthening operational mechanisms to boost gender equality and development of women.

(Chinanews.cn August 25, 2005)