On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, it is my great pleasure to extend best wishes to all women across the UN family. I wish you all a happy Women’s Day.

2020 was tough for all of us. COVID-19 has brought great challenges to women. Tough times never last, but tough people do. We have seen so many women fighting the pandemic and contributing to recovery. In addressing global challenges like climate change and poverty eradication, women’s empowerment is an indispensable part of the solution. I salute all women for their passion, courage and contribution.

Women hold up half of the sky. It is so true in China.

In pandemic response, women are on the front lines. More than 40,000 health workers from across China rushed to Hubei Province, and two-thirds of them were women.

In poverty eradication, women are not only the beneficiaries but also the contributors. Women account for about half of the rural poor out of poverty. 5 out of the 10 national models of poverty eradication are women.

In UN peacekeeping, more than 1,000 Chinese women have served as the Blue Helmets in DRC, South Sudan, Mali, Haiti and other field missions.

Women are also playing key roles in China’s political life. We are glad to see more women delegates from all ethnic groups in the National People’s Congresses and People’s Political Consultative Conference.

As President Xi Jinping said at Beijing+25 High-level Meeting, we still have a long way to go and need to work real hard to build a world in which women are free from discrimination, as well as a society of inclusive development.

Let’s do it now.

Let’s do it together.