China on Wednesday issued a white paper titled Gender Equality and Women's Development in China, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Fourth UN World Conference on Women.

"It has always been a basic state policy of China to promote equality between men and women," says the white paper, issued by the Information Office of China's State Council.

China is a developing country with the largest population in the world. Of its total population of 1.3 billion, women account for about half. The promotion of gender equality and the overall development of women is not only of great significance for China's development, it also has a special influence on the efforts for the advancement of mankind, it says.

The white paper gives account of women's equal rights with men, and women's development in nine aspects, including politics, economy, culture, society and family life.

The white paper says that China now has built a complete legal system to protect women's rights, and to promote gender equality. Central and local treasury departments have increased their inputs in the development of women year by year and optimized the allocation of resources to facilitate women's development.

The white paper says that the government has taken effective measures to eliminate poverty of rural women. From 2001 to 2004, the state granted a total of 13.52 billion yuan (US$1.65 billion) in small-sum credit loans to rural households and more than half of the loans went to women.

Women's ability to be involved in the management of state and social affairs has been strengthened, says the white paper. At present, China has three vice chairwomen in the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, a female vice premier and a female state councilor at the State Council.

The white paper points out that the Chinese government makes great efforts to eliminate gender disparities in compulsory education and improve the educational environment for girls. In 2004, the enrollment of boys and girls was 98.97 percent and 98.93 percent respectively, with gender difference reduced from 0.7 percentage point in 1995 to 0.04 percentage point. In 2004, the number of female students at institutions of higher learning nationwide increased 10.3 percentage points compared with 1995.

The white paper also includes:

-- The average life expectancy for women was 74 years in 2003.

-- In the past decade, the mortality rate of women in child birth has declined steadily - from 61.9 per 100,000 in 1995 to 48.3 per 100,000 in 2004.

-- In the last decade, China has enacted and revised, in succession, the Marriage Law, the Population and Family Planning Law, the Law on Rural Land Contracting, and the Law on Protection of Rights and Interests of Women, and promulgated and implemented over 100 rules and regulations concerning the protection of women's rights and interests.

-- By the end of 2004, some 22 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities had formulated rules, policies and measures against domestic violence.

The white paper also acknowledges that inequality between men and women has not yet been completely eradicated, and infringement of women's rights still exists in some regions.

There is a long way to go, and arduous tasks should be made to achieve gender equality and promote women's development in China, the white paper says.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2005)