国内英语新闻:Chinese vice president urges women in science to contribute to modernization

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said Sunday that China encouraged women employed in science and technology to contribute more to the country's modernization, social progress and the rejuvenation of the Chinese people.

Xi made the remarks in his address at the opening ceremony of the 4th General Assembly and International Conference of the Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS), which opened in Beijing on Sunday.

Established in 1989, the TWOWS is the first international forum bringing together women scientists from the South with the objective of strengthening their role in the development process and promoting their representation in scientific and technological leadership.

In implementing the programs for mid- and long-term scientific and technological development, as well as human resource development, China would work to build a large, high-quality force of women working in science and technology, Xi said.

As the world's largest developing country, China maintains to its basic state policy of promoting gender equality and attaches importance to creating more opportunities for the fostering and career development of Chinese women in science, he said,

"Two-fifths of China's 35 million scientific and technologic personnel,and one-third of those personnel in senior professional ranks, are women," Xi noted.