Nearly 1,500 Chinese and Beijing-based foreigners gathered in the Great Hall of the People on Monday, the eve of International Women's Day, to mark its 95th anniversary.

"Women are a great human resource for social progress and development," President of the All-China Women's Federation Gu Xiulian told the reception.

For the past 95 years, Chinese women, together with their sisters worldwide, have made tremendous contributions to world peace, national liberation and state development, said Gu, who is also vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

Women have also striven unremittingly for equality and harmony between the sexes, she said.

Attaching great importance to women's advancement, the government has made gender equality a basic state policy in promoting social development, enacted a number of laws and regulations and established a nationwide mechanism for the promotion of equality, she said.

Noting that the development of the women's movement requires the participation of the international community, Gu said China will hold an event this autumn to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, which was held in Beijing.

According to Gu, the event will review progress on equality in the past decade and the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Outcome Documents of the UN General Assembly's special session on Women.

Through discussion and sharing of experience, participants will enhance cooperation for the realization of women's advancement, gender equality and a more harmonious society, she said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2005)