Xi Jinping Calls for Renewed Global Effort to Advance Women’s Development

Beijing, October 13, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for stronger international cooperation to accelerate women’s empowerment, urging world leaders to “carry forward the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women” and advance gender equality globally.

Speaking at the opening of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing, Xi said the world must build on the progress achieved since the landmark 1995 conference and work collectively to remove the barriers that continue to hold women back. The meeting marks the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, where 189 countries endorsed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a blueprint for women’s rights and equality that remains influential three decades later.

“Women play an important role in creating, promoting and carrying forward human civilization,” Xi told delegates. “The international community has a shared responsibility to advance the cause of women.”

He noted that over the past 30 years, women’s empowerment has become a global priority, reflected in United Nations development goals and reinforced by legislation in more than 190 countries. Progress has been made in education, employment, and political participation, Xi said, adding that women’s contributions have “added brilliant splendor to the progress of human civilization.”

Yet, he warned, inequality and discrimination persist. “Globally, over 600 million women and girls are still mired in war and conflict, and around 10 percent are trapped in extreme poverty,” he said. “Equality between men and women remains a lofty yet arduous task.”

Xi outlined four key proposals to guide global efforts. First, he called for a peaceful and secure world where women can develop free from war and violence. Second, he urged nations to promote women’s participation in modernization, innovation, and green development. Third, he emphasized improving governance frameworks and social systems to protect women’s rights and eliminate bias. Fourth, he appealed for deeper international cooperation through the United Nations and other multilateral platforms to expand opportunities and shared benefits for women.

Highlighting China’s domestic achievements, Xi said women play a vital role in the country’s modernization efforts. They make up more than 40 percent of the workforce, over half of internet start-up founders, and 60 percent of Olympic medalists. “Chinese women, more confident and vibrant than ever, are writing a splendid history of the cause of women in China,” he said.

To strengthen international collaboration, Xi announced several new initiatives: a US$10 million donation to U.N. Women, a US$100 million allocation from the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund for projects benefiting women and girls, 1,000 livelihood programs, and 50,000 training and exchange opportunities for women. China will also establish a Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building to train female leaders and professionals.

“Standing at this new historic starting point,” Xi concluded, “let us carry forward the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women and jointly create a better future for humanity.”