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Xi Story: Women breaking free from household chores to explore broader horizons

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More than half a century ago, Xi Jinping, then a teenager, was among millions of « educated youths » sent from cities to live and work in the countryside.

In Liangjiahe, a poor village on the Loess Plateau, he witnessed firsthand the hardships of rural life. The heavy burdens borne by women left a particular impression on him.

Xi once said to Wu Hui, a local villager and friend: « Why is the life of a woman always so hard? »

For him, this was not merely a lament. Even at that young age, he was already searching for ways to improve people’s lives.

Xi arrived in Liangjiahe before turning 16. He spent seven years there, joining the Communist Party of China (CPC), and later serving as the village’s Party chief.

Back then, the farming work for local villagers was quite heavy, and farmers’ clothes would wear out quickly. After a long day of labor in the fields, women still had to sit by dim kerosene lamps at night, doing the mending and sewing work for the whole family.

To ease the burden of rural women, Xi organized the villagers to establish a sewing cooperative.

Wu, who worked with him at that time, once recalled that the cooperative recruited skilled seamstresses to run sewing services, and the villagers made payments with a share of their income, their « work points, » for this service.

Thanks to the cooperative, local women who were good at sewing could earn an income via their skills, while others could focus on their production work without having to juggle it with household chores.

Over the years, Xi has always believed that women should not be confined to the narrowness of the eye of a needle — but should instead reach for the broader horizons of the outside world.

In March 1990, when he served as the Party chief of Ningde prefecture in east China’s Fujian Province, Xi published an article in a local newspaper to refute certain discriminatory views toward women held by some people at that time — and stressed the important role of local women in social development.

« It was once said that rural women are bound to work around the stove, not the podium, nor the public stage, » he wrote.

« However, numerous irrefutable facts have repeatedly proven that during the period of socialist revolution and construction, countless women in eastern Fujian (Ningde) walked away from the stoves, stepped out of their homes, and entered society, engaging in various forms of work and also participating in political activities, » Xi noted in his newspaper piece.

« History and reality tell us that women, who make up more than half of the population, are a tremendous force driving the progress of society. Every achievement of ours carries within it the hard work of women, » Xi said in the article.

Xi was born into a revolutionary family, and his parents, Xi Zhongxun and Qi Xin, both participated in the revolution at a young age and were very dedicated to their work.

In the 1950s, when Qi worked far from home, she was only able to return home once a week by bus on weekends. To avoid affecting his wife’s work, the elder Xi, who held key positions as a senior Party and state official at the time, took on a larger share of childcare responsibilities in his spare time, including bathing the children and doing their laundry.

Qi recalled that her husband never asked her to sacrifice her personal development to take care of the family full-time.

Like his father, Xi Jinping has proven to be a supportive husband.

His wife, Peng Liyuan, is a celebrated singer in China. Due to her packed performance schedules, she often had to travel and perform, leaving little time to stay at home.

Lin Wenxiu, a former official with the local women’s federation in Fujian, who was familiar with their family while Xi worked in the province, recalled that Peng, on one occasion, told her that she once thought of giving up her career, so that she could spend more time at home and take care of their daughter.

Xi, however, talked Peng out of the idea. « I cannot be so selfish, » he said, encouraging her to stay committed to her artistic career.

Peng used to perform at the annual Spring Festival gala broadcast nationwide on the eve of the Chinese New Year in Beijing, when Xi worked outside the capital. Provided he had time to spend the festival with his family in Beijing, he would make dumplings at home while watching the gala and wait until Peng finished her work. The family would then boil the dumplings when Peng came home and have their festival dinner together.

Throughout his political career, both at local and central levels, Xi has placed special emphasis on women’s development. This approach continues in his capacity as China’s top leader.

Since the CPC’s 18th National Congress in 2012, Xi has made multiple important speeches, instructions and comments on work related to the issue.

He stressed the need to create a favorable environment, remove barriers, and provide conditions for women’s all-round development in accordance with laws and regulations, and to foster a positive culture in which women are respected.

He once called for special attention to be paid to some difficulties and problems women face in pursuing their development and safeguarding their rights and interests, urging relevant authorities to address these problems.

China has made significant progress in women’s development under Xi’s leadership, and his commitment to this cause has extended beyond national borders.

« China’s experiences show that a higher level of social and economic participation by women helps to raise their status, and it also boosts social productivity and invigorates the economy, » Xi said in his speech at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in September 2015, pledging greater efforts to support women in realizing their own dreams and aspirations in both career and life.

Five years later, at a UN General Assembly high-level meeting on the 25th anniversary of the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women, Xi urged efforts to support women and help them live their lives to the full.

In his speech via video link, Xi called for joint and intensified efforts to promote gender equality and advance the global cause of women’s development.

Next week, Xi will address the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing. On occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which was also held in Beijing in 1995, the upcoming meeting is expected to be another milestone in the history of global women’s development.

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Jointly Building a New Model of Global Leadership — Work Together in Pursuit of a More Just and Rational Global Governance System

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3 jours ago

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novembre 15, 2025

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Afrique

Global South media, think tank forum to open in South Africa

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3 jours ago

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novembre 15, 2025

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The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference will be held on Thursday and Friday to discuss ways to strengthen global governance and deepen China-Africa cooperation.

More than 200 representatives from over 160 media outlets, think tanks, government organizations and other institutions from China and 41 African countries, as well as the African Union, will gather to engage in discussions under the theme « Reforming Global Governance: New Roles and Visions for China-Africa Cooperation. »

During the forum, guests from Global South countries will hold in-depth discussions on three topics: « China-Africa Commitments to Global Governance Reform, » « China-Africa Action for Global South Revitalization, » and « China-Africa Exchange in Global Civilizational Coexistence. »

Participants will also attend a series of activities, including a cultural exchange event between China’s Hunan Province and its African partners.

The forum will feature the release of a think tank report titled « Jointly Building a New Model of Global Leadership — Work together in Pursuit of a More Just and Rational Global Governance System, » and the launch of the Global South joint communication partnership network « United in Heart, Path and Action — 2026 China-Africa Partnership Empowerment Action Plan. »

Jointly organized by Xinhua News Agency and the African Union, the forum brings together Chinese and African participants with the aim of deepening exchanges and cooperation between media and think tanks.

They seek to amplify the main theme of the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and to pool wisdom to make the Global South a stabilizing force for safeguarding peace, a pillar of open development, a constructive player in global governance, and a promoter of mutual learning among civilizations. ■

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Xinhua Headlines: Global South media, think tanks pool wisdom to improve global governance

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3 jours ago

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novembre 15, 2025

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* Against the backdrop of profound changes unseen in a century, the awakening of the Global South and its growing cooperation have become an indispensable part of the international landscape, with China-Africa cooperation at the core.

* The highlights of China-Africa cooperation represent the Chinese vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum China-Africa Partnership Conference opened here on Thursday to explore ways to strengthen global governance and deepen China-Africa cooperation.

The two-day event, co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, the African Union (AU) and South Africa’s Independent Media, among other partners, gathered more than 200 representatives from over 160 media outlets, think tanks, government organizations and other institutions from China and 41 African countries, as well as the AU.

It focuses on how collaboration between media and think tanks can contribute to shaping a fairer and more inclusive global governance under the theme « Reforming Global Governance: New Roles and Visions for China-Africa Cooperation. »

STRENGTHENING CHINA-AFRICA SYNERGY

Against the backdrop of profound changes unseen in a century, the awakening of the Global South and its growing cooperation have become an indispensable part of the international landscape, with China-Africa cooperation at the core.

In 2015, 2018 and 2021, China successively announced at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) the implementation of the 10 cooperation plans, eight major initiatives and nine programs, drawing a blueprint for China-Africa cooperation.

Quoting an African proverb, « If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together, » Lyu Yansong, editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, called on media and think tanks to take the conference as an opportunity to build consensus, strengthen solidarity and collaboration, and jointly create a better future in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony.

Addressing the event, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng shared three keywords on China-Africa cooperation — partnership, practicality and prospects.

« China is ready to work with African countries to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, further expand win-win cooperation across all fields, and speed up the common modernization of China and Africa, » said Wu.

Noting that the relationship between Africa and China has evolved over decades of solidarity, mutual respect and shared aspirations for development, Leslie Richer, the AU director of information and communication, said that Africa will work with China and other Global South partners to make its voice heard more strongly, while promoting more balanced narratives through closer media and think tank cooperation.

The event featured the launch of the Global South joint communication partnership network « United in Heart, Path and Action — 2026 China-Africa Partnership Empowerment Action Plan, » with the aim of better supporting the shared development of China and Africa.

Applauding the development of the Africa-China relationship, Jonathan Titus-Williams, deputy minister of planning and economic development of Sierra Leone, said that the partnership has long been characterized by solidarity and shared purpose grounded in mutual respect, equality, and a collective aspiration for a just and peaceful world.

As the permanent host of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, China’s Hunan province has made great efforts in recent years to promote cooperation in various fields such as agriculture, green energy and industrial chains with African partners.

Recognizing the expo as an important initiative under the FOCAC’s major action plans, Shen Yumou, head of the Hunan provincial commerce department, said that Hunan has been aiming to enhance China-Africa cooperation, focusing on building six major centers for trade in non-resource products, cross-border e-commerce, industrial development, financial cooperation, logistics and trade promotion, to serve as a strategic hub for China-Africa economic ties.

PROMOTING INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE

At the conference, the Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, released a report titled « Jointly Building a New Model of Global Leadership — Work Together in Pursuit of a More Just and Rational Global Governance System. »

The report argues that the world faces a global leadership deficit, reflected in the failure of peace, imbalance in development and discord among civilizations. It calls for a « new model of global leadership, » one that does not emanate from any single country, bloc or international organization, but rather represents a multilateral form of leadership — a synergy forged by the international community in active response to global challenges.

Noting the Global Governance Initiative put forward by China at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Tianjin Summit in September, Lyu said, « Let us put the initiative into practice and jointly shape a just and equitable international order. »

He emphasized that media and think tanks from China and Africa should comprehensively expound on the Global South’s solutions for advancing the reform of the global governance system, and demonstrate the Global South’s strength reflected in the solidarity and cooperation of developing countries.

The remarks by Xinhua’s editor-in-chief resonated strongly with the participants.

« Tunisia and many African countries are key partners in the Global Governance Initiative and support China’s aspiration for a fairer and more equitable world order, » said Najeh Missaoui, chairman and CEO of the Tunis Africa News Agency.

Stressing the media’s role in advancing shared governance, Missaoui noted that the media is no longer just a tool for delivering news or sharing information; it has become a powerful force of cultural influence — shaping public opinion, contributing to decision-making, and nurturing dialogue and mutual understanding among peoples.

Similarly, Ismaila Ceesay, minister for information of The Gambia, said that it is believed that the future of global governance must be inclusive, multipolar and reflective of the rich diversity of human experience.

« China’s support in fostering training, technology transfer and infrastructure development across Africa’s media landscape is a valuable contribution toward this goal, » he added.

FORGING SHARED FUTURE

The highlights of China-Africa cooperation represent the Chinese vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Since the establishment of FOCAC 25 years ago, China and Africa have cooperated on building or upgrading nearly 100,000 km of roads and more than 10,000 km of railways across Africa. Over the past three years, Chinese enterprises have created more than 1.1 million jobs on the African continent. The results of China-Africa cooperation are visible and palpable, and have truly benefited the people of both sides.

Iqbal Surve, chairman of South Africa’s Independent Media, hailed the Africa-China partnership as a beacon of what genuine cooperation can achieve, one grounded in mutual respect, shared goals, and a commitment to building a fairer, more inclusive world order.

« Together, we can build a world that is more balanced, more just, and more humane — a world where every voice counts and every nation thrives, » he added.

From Madagascar’s hybrid rice to agricultural poverty reduction demonstration villages in Sao Tome and Principe, from Ethiopia’s Eastern Industrial Zone to the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, and from Mauritania’s China-Africa Green Technology Park to the geothermal power plant of Sosian Energy in Kenya, the Chinese solutions are boosting the continent’s modernization drive.

Erastus Mwencha, former deputy chairperson of the AU Commission, praised China as one of the countries that really speak and advocate for the Global South, noting that Africa’s Ubuntu philosophy, which means « I am because we are » holds that no one should be left behind, and reflects values that align closely with China’s vision and advocacy.

Noting the importance of an action-led global governance model to address the practical concerns of sustainable peace and development, Peter Kagwanja, president and chief executive of the Africa Policy Institute, said that Africa and China should partner in the proposed Global Governance Initiative as the surest pathway to a reformed and inclusive global governance system.

« It is key to realize the noble dream of a community with a shared future for humanity in a multipolar order, » he added.  

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