President Xi Jinping announced on Sunday that China would donate $10 million to the United Nations toward women's rights, marking the latest effort by Beijing to shoulder more responsibility for global development.
Addressing a forum on gender equality co-hosted by China and the UN Women at UN headquarters in New York, Xi also vowed that in the next five years, China will help developing countries start 100 projects related to the health of women and children; send medical teams; and help girls from poor families gain access to education.
The summit meeting, to recognize the 20th anniversary of a landmark women's rights conference in Beijing, is one of a number of initiatives taken by China to promote development alongside UN events marking the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the global body.
More than 80 world leaders attended Sunday's forum and shared views on promoting gender equality.
UN Women chief Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said it was the first time that world leaders had attended such a high-level meeting to deliberate and commit to women and girls.
She said she also expected global leaders to come up with a universal message to address problems facing women and girls.
"China will do more to enhance gender equality as its basic state policy," Xi told the forum, where he acted as a chairman and cited a Chinese proverb that women "hold up half the sky".
"In many parts of the world ... inequality still exists between men and women in rights, opportunities and access to resources," he said.
Beijing will invite 30,000 women from developing nations for training sessions in China and also will help such countries train 100,000 female technical personnel locally, Xi said.
"Let's join hands in speeding up to build and share a world that is better for all women and all people," Xi said.
The president is making his first appearance at the UN, completing his first state visit to the United States. Since Saturday, he has immersed himself in a cluster of events.
Experts said China's increased role in a series of summits with UN bodies showcases the country's growing leadership in global affairs.
On Saturday, Xi addressed the UN Sustainable Development Summit, saying that China would provide $2 billion for a new development fund for poor countries. He also put forward a series of initiatives to support developing countries.
Agence France-Presse reported that the moves showcased Beijing's growing global role.
Tao Wenzhao, a researcher in US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China has started to provide more public products to the world as its national capability increases, and the president has referred to that in his speeches.
"Sunday's forum co-chaired by China and UN Women at the UN headquarters is testimony to this," he said.
A wide range of world leaders spoke at the Sunday morning session presided over by Xi, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed gratitude for China initiating the meeting and said it would be a milestone for women's development globally.
Merkel, addressing the forum, said it was particularly critical to protect women facing rape, slavery and other abuses in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and other troubled countries.
"Women's rights are human rights, too. Isn't it disgraceful to humanity that we need to underline this?" Merkel said. "But it is true - women urgently need more protection, particularly in war zones and crisis regions," she said.
The summit produced positive achievements and this is another milestone in the progress of women globally after the Beijing Women's Summit, said Li Junhua, director-general of the International Organizations and Conferences of the Foreign Ministry of China.
Ren Qi in New York contributed to this story.
wujiao@chinadailyusa.com
