Chinese President Hu Jintao hailed women's contributions to social development in Beijing Monday, saying that women are playing an irreplaceable role in promoting world peace and common development.

In his meeting with delegates attending the meeting marking the tenth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Hu said it has been deeply realized worldwide that promoting gender equality has a significant impact on eradicating poverty, famine and diseases and also helps realize economic and social development, advance human civilization and promote social harmony.

The Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, issued the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action to boost gender equality.

"The purpose of holding the commemorative meeting is to reiterate our solemn commitments to the principles of the UN Charter and the implementation of the 2000 Millennium Development Goals and the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action," Hu said.

Hu suggested that all the countries take further efforts to eliminate discrimination against women and realize gender equality by promulgating and improving relevant laws and regulations.

Hu said the Chinese government attaches great importance to women's role in political, economic, cultural and social affairs as the promoting of gender equality and the protection of women's interests have been regarded as important criteria to measure China's social development.

He said China will continue to promote gender equality, which is also China's fundamental national policy, boost women development and create a favorable social environment to give full play to women's role in China's development.

Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga, on behalf of all the delegates, said participants of the meeting will review the implementation of the Beijing Declaration over the past decade and lay out further goals to concert international efforts to boost women development.

The meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women opened in Beijing Monday, with more than 800 delegates from around the world.

(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2005)