Mao Youbi, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee and also a school headmaster, talked about her hometown and offered a suggestion to assist her native region of Guizhou Province during an exclusive interview with China.org.cn on Friday.

Clad in black, Ms. Mao looked elegant and confident. She began by speaking about her hometown Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, an area severely damaged by the freak snow storm in late January.

"Our school was located amidst a forest. Temperatures there dropped quite low. The school water pipes froze; some burst," she said.

"In mountainous and outlaying areas, people are living on very little means," she said. "They creep down the mountain to fetch water. During the storm which knocked out the water supply, they suffered greatly."

"The local government responded immediately and redoubled efforts to help us recover from the storm," she added.

She admitted that the slow emergency response was due to a crumbling infrastructure and lack of preparation.

Hailing from southwest China, Ms. Mao is acutely aware of the economic disparity between the flourishing provinces of China's coastal cities and the impoverished inland areas. At this current conference, she brought forward a suggestion that the government should spend more money on programs dedicated to helping people access public services, mostly through a program tailored to meet the needs of the remote and poor communities of southwestern China.

She mentioned the deteriorating environment is a daunting challenge facing Guizhou Province. Water shortages and stone desertification are currently threatening the survival of about 450,000 farmers.

"Those problems have and will put a damper on the development. They should be immediately addressed," she remarked.

"As a female member, I feel really lucky that society has favored me so much," she said at the end of the talk, beaming with satisfaction. "I have been to other countries. I can say our country has been doing well in protecting and empowering women. It's imperative that women participate in politics. Many politically astute women have entered politics and made significant impact."

(China.org.cn by staff reporter He Shan, March 8, 2008)