Chinese women are achieving remarkable accomplishments in their respective fields that are not only contributing to China's modernization endeavors but are also lighting the path for generations to come.
In the new era, Chinese women, more confident and vibrant than ever before, are taking part in the whole process of state and social governance. They are fighting on the front lines for rural revitalization and common prosperity as well as scientific innovation and digital transition.
Among them is Du Mengran, a young geoscientist who was selected for the journal Nature's annual "Nature's 10" list, which highlights ten people at the heart of some of the biggest science stories of 2025.
"The deep sea had no readily-built paths. We are the ones creating them," Du said.
Du has conducted over 30 dives with China's three deep-sea manned submersibles Fendouzhe (Striver), Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior) and Jiaolong.
At the bottom of the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench, she and her colleagues discovered "the deepest-known ecosystem with animals on the planet."
Jin Meilin, a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, has pioneered research on swine and avian influenza. Her 40-year unremitting efforts have been crucial for food security and public health in China.
"The greater the challenge, the more interested I become. Women can also hold up half the sky in the science and technology field," said Jin, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Similarly, Liao Hong, director of the Root Biology Research Center at the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has spent nearly three decades studying plant nutrition. By taking her research from the lab to the fields, she has helped farmers solve practical problems and boost local economies.
"Whenever I see farmers' smiling faces, I feel a strong sense of satisfaction," Liao said.
This spirit of service extends to the nation's remote areas. Gesang Deji, vice principal of a primary school in Motuo County, Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China, is committed to enlightening the younger generations.
"Since I've made the decision, I have to face up to everything. No matter what difficulties I encounter, I will carry them on," she said.
Zhang Guifang, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch at the Sanjia Village in central China's Henan Province, hopes her work in rural governance will inspire others.
"I have always hoped that through my own experiences, more young people -- especially women -- can see another possibility for rural work and life," she said.
Yang Yuni, a member of 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has devoted herself to protecting the ancient ethnic Hani terraced fields and their traditions.
"Through culture and art, we help our villagers and our children become confident in showcasing our ethnic Hani culture," she said.
In Xunpu Village, Fujian Province in east China, floral headdress tradition inheritor Huang Liyong believes that women should dare to pursue their dreams.
"I encourage women who have great dreams to go for it and discover their own value in the process," she said.
Meanwhile, from the farmlands of Gansu Province in northwest China, rural poet Pei Aimin, known online as "Auntie Vole," has captivated social media with her verses.
"Others call me a rural poet. I'm just planting my crops and the poem grows naturally," said the charismatic 50-year-old, who posts about life with peppers and pumpkins under the sunset.
In Qingdao City of east China's Shandong Province, Liu Yurong, a woman selling corn by sea didn't hesitate when she saw someone in danger, jumping into the sea to save a life.
"At that moment, I didn't know what an ordinary hero was. I just knew it was a life. I felt that I had to jump in," she said.
That is also the courage of those who are safeguarding the nation's security.
"I want everyone to know what the women guarding Yunnan's northern borders look like. I want to tell those desperadoes that no criminal or lawbreaking acts can ever pass me undetected," said Li Xiangli, an officer of a key checkpoint in southwest China's Yunnan Province. "If that day truly comes, I would not hesitate to fly my warplane to where I must go. This is the responsibility our generation must shoulder," said Xu Fengcan, pilot of the Southern Theater Army Ground Force, the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Some have overcame physical constraints, contending with fate through sheer resilience.
"I am no longer just a recipient of others' help. I can now influence more people. I can also be a giver," said Tian Yanqing, a student with osteogenesis imperfecta, who excelled in academics by scoring a 621 in the national college entry examination.
"May our hearts hold the motherland's landscapes, great social responsibilities, and a global vision. On our respective journeys, may we achieve ourselves, uplift others, and contribute to the world," said Dong Lina, China's first visually impaired master's graduate in broadcasting.
Today, women in China truly "hold up half the sky" in economic and social development. They make up more than 40 percent of the workforce, more than half of internet start-up founders, and more than 60 percent of all medalists in the past four Summer Olympic Games.
"In China, the cause of women has always been an integral part of the epic Chinese modernization endeavors. We have secured historic achievements and seen historic changes in the cause of women in China. Women in China truly 'hold up half the sky' in economic and social development," said Chinese President Xi Jinping in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Beijing last October.
With March 8 International Women's Day coinciding with the ongoing annual political "two sessions" in Beijing, Xi on Friday extended festive greetings and best wishes to the country's women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life when attending a joint group meeting at the fourth annual session of the 14th National Committee of CPPCC.
"On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, I extend festive greetings and best wishes to all women deputies, political advisors and staff members attending the 'two sessions,' to women of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life across the country, to our women compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and the Taiwan region, and to overseas Chinese women," Xi said.
Chinese women shine bright, power nation's modernization drive
