Chinese women can play a bigger role in building a xiaokang, or well-off society, Chinese Vic-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Gu Xiulian said in Beijing on Thursday.

Addressing a national forum on building a well-off society, Gu expressed the hope that scholars and leading officials would take into consideration the role of female human resources while making research on building a well-off society.

Gu, also president of the All-China Women's Federation, said that the proportion of Chinese women on leading government posts at all levels is still "low", although they have made great contributions to the nation's revolution and construction in the past decades.

"The realization of an overall well-off society depends on mobilizing all human resources of China, including that of women," she noted.

According to a report of the Information Office of the State Council, by the end of 2004, urban and rural women employed nationwide stood at 337 million, accounting for 44.8 percent of the country's total employees.

So far, Gu said, about 20 percent of China's NPC delegates and 13.2 percent of members of the NPC Standing Committee are women.

Also, there are 21 female ministers among the State Council's 29 ministries and commissions.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2005)