Namaste

On this auspicious occasion of International Working Women’s Day, I am very pleased to have this happy get-together to celebrate the festival of our own with my dear sisters from all walks of life in Nepal and the diplomatic corps in Kathmandu. May I take this opportunity to express my hearty greetings and warm congratulations to all of you.

In the process of the development of the human society, women have played an important role in promoting the development and progress of the human society and have made extraordinary contributions in this regard. As one Chinese proverb goes,” women hold up half the sky”.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the progress and development of Chinese women and makes equality of the sexes as one of basic national policies to accelerate the development of the nation and society. The Chinese government firmly opposes any kind of discriminations against women, safeguards and guarantees women’s equal status and rights in the state politics, economy and social life. In order to achieve the women's self progress and development, the Chinese Government has actively taken all kinds of measures to improve the comprehensive makings of Chinese women.

At present, China has a female population of 620 million, which is 48.5 percent of the total. Chinese women enjoy the equal rights as men in the fields of politics, economy, culture, society and family. Among the present state leaders, seven of them are female. There are 604 female deputies in the National People’s Congress which is 20.2 percent of the total. There are 16 female ministers or Vice-ministers in all the 28 ministries under the State Council of China.

Women issue is the universal concern of international community. Women’s cause is a lofty one of the human being. It needs not only the efforts of all the governments and people of the world, but also the extensive international cooperation to enhance women’s social status and role. Together with all the international forces devoting to the progress and liberation of women, we would like to make more contributions to the development of the international women's cause.

Thank you all and daniba.