Taking women empowerment to heart

As a national political adviser from the Women's Federation group and an agribusiness entrepreneur, women's rights and development in rural areas, as well as rural vitalization, have long been her priorities.

Over the years, Chen has visited regions including the Xizang autonomous region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and Gansu, Qinghai and Hubei provinces, establishing e-commerce platforms to help local women sell agricultural products, offering them technical training and support to engage in specialty industries such as ethnic handicraft production, and specialized planting and breeding.

With women now accounting for over 65 percent of the rural labor force, their contribution has become irreplaceable to rural vitalization, Chen said. "They are cultivators in the fields, creators of rural industries, and builders of harmonious and beautiful countryside."

In the context of integrated agricultural, cultural, and tourism development, women are often the backbone running homestays, providing tourism services, and developing local industries. Their resilience, Chen said, makes them a key force in comprehensive rural vitalization.

To ensure sustainable development in rural areas, Chen also helped build service platforms and communication mechanisms between women entrepreneurs and agricultural science and technology experts and policymakers.

She also launched training programs, which helped create jobs for more than 200 women in villages surrounding Tianjin.

"As a CPPCC National Committee member and a woman entrepreneur, I want to convey the values of independence, resilience, and confidence," Chen said. "When women grow stronger, they can fully demonstrate their capabilities across various sectors and contribute to national development."

Speaking of this year's two sessions, Chen said she will focus on using digital technology to empower rural women and improve eldercare services, as well as protecting the rights of women and children.

CPPCC National Committee members act as a bridge, bringing policies to the grassroots, and the voices from the grassroots back to the decision-making table, she said. "This is how we truly fulfill our duty to the country and our responsibility to the people."

zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn