Chinese skier Xu Mengtao celebrates her victory with a national flag after winning the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Freestyle Skiing Women's Aerials Final, in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province, on February 14, 2022. Photo: VCG

March 8 marks International Women's Day. This year, the official theme of the United Nations observance of the day is "Invest in women: Accelerate progress."

In China, there is a saying, "Women hold up half the sky," which affirms women's pursuit of dreams and achievements in their careers. In modern terminology, this is called "the power of her."      

There have been many outstanding women in Chinese history. In the new era, Chinese women in various industries are continuing to promote self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-improvement, resonating their personal dreams with national development. 

Chinese women are increasingly playing an important part in building a stronger country.  

They actively participate in the country's whole-process people's democracy, showing their talents in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. According to the list published on the website of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), there are 790 female deputies to the 14th NPC, accounting for 26.54 percent of the total, and 487 female members of the National Committee CPPCC. 

These female top legislators and political advisors play a major role in speaking up for Chinese women, especially those in remote and undeveloped areas. They also provide a female perspective in many livelihood issues like education, fertility and employment, in order to help Chinese governments solve relevant problems while taking gender equality into account.            

Far out in space, the first Chinese female taikonaut Liu Yang arrived there in the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2012. On November 7, 2021, Wang Yaping became China's first female astronaut to walk in space. In the history of human spacewalks, the beautiful figure of a Chinese female astronaut finally appeared for the first time.

On the field of sports, Chinese skier Xu Mengtao remained determined and stepped onto the Winter Olympics stage for the fourth time in 2022 despite being plagued by injuries. Finally, she scored 108.61 to win gold in the women's freestyle skiing aerials at the Beijing Winter Olympics, interpreting the power of dreams with her resilient will. Zhang Weili became China's as well as Asia's first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion in 2019, demonstrating the power of Chinese women to the world with her fists.

Not to mention that the spirit of perseverance, courage and unity of the Chinese women's volleyball team is widely recognized and admired in China, becoming a spiritual symbol and role model. 

No matter if they are in the military, or in ordinary posts in factories… the power of women is never absent. They can be seen fighting in every position and every field during China's journey of development.

While applauding their shining moments, China is also providing stronger guarantees for the work and life of women. China has established a comprehensive legal system to protect women's rights, including more than 100 laws and regulations. 

It has been listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 countries with high performance in women and children's health, and has basically eliminated the gender gap in compulsory education.

The dividends brought by policies have effectively activated "the power of her" in the development of our society, allowing more women to be active on the stage of the new era. 

The average life expectancy of women exceeds 80 years, the gender gap in compulsory education has been basically eliminated, the proportion of female students in various higher education institutions exceeds that of male students, and the proportion of women in the total employed population remains above 40 percent. 

"The power of her" will continue to growing in the new era in China, continuing to write new stories about "half the sky."

Global Times

The first Chinese female taikonaut Liu Yang waves to the crowd at the send-off ceremony for the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province on June 16, 2012. Photo: VCG

Chinese female boxer Zhang Weili reacts after her victory over Amanda Lemos of Brazil in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) strawweight championship fight during the UFC 292 event in Boston, the US, on August 19, 2023. Photo: VCG

Female deputies to the National People's Congress from the Chongqing delegation approach the meeting venue during the two sessions in Beijing. Photo: VCG

Athletes of China celebrate after defending champion in the Women's Gold Medal Match of Volleyball between China and Japan at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on October 7, 2023. Photo: VCG

Female workers rush to make horse-face skirts in a factory in the Caoxian county, East China's Shandong Province, on March 4, 2024. The sales of horse-face skirt produced in the county reached around 400 million yuan ($55.6 million) in January 2024. Photo: VCG

Female sailors on the Guiyang ship wave goodbye as the 36th batch of naval escort fleet set sail from a port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on September 3, 2020, heading to the Gulf of Aden. Photo: VCG