By Shi Xiaohui, journalist of People's Daily Online, listed here is a translated version

Oct 14, 2009

In the course of "Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Women's Forum 2009", head of Chinese Delegation, Vice-Chairperson of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress and President of All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) Chen Zhili received a joint interview with journalists from People's Daily Online and Xinhua News Agency on Oct 13.

Journalist: Could you please tell us the main objectives of participating in the "Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Women's Forum 2009"?

Answer: This time I led the Chinese women's delegation of about 50 members to Cairo, the capital of Egypt with the main purpose of attending the "Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Women's Forum 2009" that was hosted by ACWF and Egypt's National Council for Women. The Women's Forum is a supporting activity for the 4th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation which will commence soon; it is also the first large-scale multilateral exchange that is hosted by Chinese and African women. Meanwhile this forum is a new milestone in the history of exchanges between Chinese and African Women.

The theme of this forum is that Chinese and African Women work together to face challenges and seek development. I have already had a warm and friendly meeting with the first lady of Egypt, and the president of Egypt's National Council for Women, Ms. Susan Mubarak. She spoke highly of this forum. Tomorrow I'm going to meet wife of the premier of Kenya,Ms. Odinga and other representatives who participate in this forum in order to have a discussion on new approaches to further deepen the friendship between Chinese and African women and cooperate pragmatically under new circumstances. Members of Chinese delegation (mainly consisting of women representatives of National People's Congress, women members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, leaders of All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) and Women's Federation of provinces and cities, representatives of the central government and national institutions and elite women entrepreneurs etc) will also carry out discussions with leaders of government bodies that are responsible for women's development and gender equality and leaders of women's organizations from nearly 30 countries. They will touch on topics such as women ' s participation in politics,Women and Millennium Development Goal, women facing financial crisis etc. They will share their achievements and experience in the aspect of gender equality and women's development as well as consult together about new measures to deal with global financial crisis and to achieve Millennium Development Goal of the United Nation. Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation – Women's Forum 2009 will be signed and submitted to the 4th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Journalist: Since the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2006, ACWF carried out a series of exchanges that are aimed at African women. Could you tell us what the main exchanges are?

Answer: ACWF is the largest women's organization in China. In early 1950s, ACWF started the work that was aimed at African women by getting in touch with women in African countries and African women's organizations; as a result, the unique advantages and achievements of women nongovernmental diplomacy have been formed. Through many years' hard work , so far, ACWF have established contacts with women's institutions and organizations of 51 out of 53 African countries, and it has it has provided small amount material aid to women's institutions and organizations of 45 African countries, and sent training teams of embroidery and sewing to 4 countries.

After entering the new century, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2006 brought women's exchanges into the whole frame of China-Africa exchanges for the first time in Declaration of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan 2007 to 2009 and proposed to improve exchanges and cooperation on China-Africa women affairs, which offered a new platform for exchanges between women in China and in Africa.

After the summit, a variety of women's activities in Africa have been undertaken by ACWF

First, High-level women officials of China and Africa are in frequent contacts. ACWF respectively received wives of presidents of Guinea, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone, and successively invited ministers of Women's Department of Liberia, Senegal and Malawi to visit China as well as received wives of presidents of 8 countries including Egypt at ACWF. Meanwhile, ACWF sent Chinese women delegations to visit African countries and take part in international conferences held in Darfur Sudan, Tunis, Liberia and other countries etc. The delegations energetically propagated China and the achievements of Chinese women's cause and promoted friendly exchanges between women in China and in Africa. The delegations were warmly welcomed and received by African women.

Second, to carry out training for African women cadres. ACWF and the International Department, Central Committee of CPC worked together to hold two sessions of "Women Participating in Development – Research Class on African Political Parties and Women's Organizations for Cadres" in 2008 and 2009 respectively. 40 female high-level officials from 21 African countries attended the research class. Among them there were 4 ministers of the incumbent government, 2 vice ministers of Women's Department and many heads of women's organizations which were at national levels. The friendly relationship between African women leaders of the new generation and I was further improved.

Third, to provide some African countries with small amount material aid with special focus and aims. From the Beijing Summit till present, ACWF has offered 25 batches of small amount aid adding up to 6,580,000 yuan to women's institutions and organizations in 13 African countries such as Congo, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Middle Africa etc. The aid materials mainly include agricultural implements and training equipment ( sewing machine etc) that will help African women with production and improve their life, women and children articles, office equipment and so on.

Fourth, to set up China-Africa Women Training and Exchanging Centers. ACWF has respectively cooperated with women's organizations in Lesotho, Djibouti, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and established China-Lesotho, China-Djibouti, China-Sudan, China-Zimbabwe, and China-Mauritius Women Exchanging and Training Centers in the countries mentioned above.

Fifth, to further carry out the work on the team of wives of African diplomatic envoys to China. In recent years, we organized the team of wives of African diplomatic envoys to China many times to visit new rural areas in China and inspect the new constructions. We focused on introducing experience concerning how women's organizations at the grass root level led women to get rid of poverty and become rich, improve their life and improve the environment. At the same time, the team of wives of African diplomatic envoys to China worked actively to raise money for the cause of Chinese women and children. The accumulated donation amounted to 270,000 yuan, which was used for the construction of "China-Africa Spring Buds Primary School", small amount loans to help women get rid of poverty, construction of Apartment for the Aged, and Marsh Gas for Rural Women and other projects.

Journalist: In order to further deepen the traditional friendship and friendly relationship between Chinese women and African women as well as to strengthen the cooperation in the field of gender equality and women's development, what kind of new move will ACWF make?

Answer: China and Africa are the developing country and developing region which have the largest women population. We would like to work with women in all African countries to deepen our traditional friendship further, strengthen the cooperation in the aspect of gender equality and women's development, implement the spirits of Declaration of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and make positive contributions to the development of national relationships and women's wellbeing of China and Africa. In the next few years, we are going to do our utmost in the following areas:

First, to promote the dialogue between women leaders, heads of women's institutions and organizations, share experience and achievements in the fields of gender equality and women's development and further strengthen the contacts between Chinese and African high women officials. Second, to promote the one-to-one exchanges of Chinese – African women, strengthen the exchanges of personages of various circles, such as women politicians with women Members of Parliament included, women educational workers, women scientific workers and women entrepreneurs etc and further deepen pragmatic cooperation. Third, to increase the ratio and the total number of female overseas students coming from Africa. Currently, the ratio of African female students who enjoy the scholar granted by the Chinese government is 26.54% and we are going to raise this ratio to over 30% within 3 years. To encourage outstanding African female talents with bachelor degrees to study their master degrees in China. To continue to hold training classes for Chinese and African women leaders. To hold two to three training sessions on practical techniques and skills for African women. Fourth, to continue to support the development of the cause of women and children and try our best to provide certain amount of material aid to women's institutions and organizations in African countries. To work together with related women's institutions and organizations in African countries to explore and set up Chinese – African training and exchanging centers. To carry out pragmatic exchanges and cooperation by making use of the current women training centers. Fifth, to further promote the establishment and improvement of women cooperation mechanism under the frame of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, enhance the gender awareness of departments and nongovernmental organizations in China and in Africa in the aspect of political and economic cooperation and make more women benefit from it.

Cairo, Oct 13, People's Daily Online