By Bradley Collins | Photos:\u00a0Xinhua<\/p>\n
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Politics seem to run in the blood of Li Yuanchao, the son of Li Gancheng a former vice mayor of Shanghai and generally accepted as the prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of China\u2019s ex-president Hu Jintao. Below is an outline of Li Yuanchao\u2019s early life, career and future political prospects all making him one to watch as the next possible president of China.<\/p>\n
Qualified for the Job<\/h3>\n
Yuanchao was born in 1950 in Lianshui County, Jiangsu Province and joined the CCP in 1978. Yuanchao studied mathematics at Shanghai Normal University, was a teacher, and later involved in education management at various institutions throughout Shanghai. Some of Yuanchao\u2019s other academic achievements also include; a master\u2019s degree in economic management from Beijing University, a PHD in law from the Central Party School and training at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.<\/p>\n
Impeccable Credentials<\/h3>\n
Yuanchao\u2019s political career began as deputy secretary and secretary of the CCYL in Shanghai in 1983). Later he served as a deputy director for the Information Office of the State Council and of the General Office of Foreign Publicity of the CCP Central Committee. He was also the vice minister of the Ministry of Culture. In 2000, he was transferred to his home province of Jiangsu where he first served as its deputy party secretary, and then simultaneously as party secretary of Nanjing City. Yuanchao also served as party secretary of the Jiangsu Province and was finally first elected to the Central Committee as an alternate member at the 16th Party Congress.<\/p>\n
Foreign Relations<\/h3>\n
Yuanchao was elected to be the Vice President in March 2013. Although the office is largely ceremonial in nature, Yuanchao has played a major role in CCP foreign affairs policy being one of the highest-ranking Chinese officials at Nelson Mandela\u2019s funeral. Yuanchao is also a major proponent of president Xi Jinping\u2019s policies to deal with official corruption. With such a varied career and top political pedigree Yuanchao is certainly not one to be overlooked as a possible candidate for the presidency.<\/p>\n
\u201cDistinguished Ministers, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. Today, women representatives of G20 members and relevant international organizations gather in China\u2019s historical capital of Xi\u2019an for the W20 Meeting. I would like to extend, on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government, warm congratulations to the W20 Meeting and a warm welcome to all the participants. China holds the G20 presidency in 2016. President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the W20 Meeting. He hopes that all parties build consensus for positive outcomes and make contribution to the success of G20 Hangzhou Summit and the invigoration of the world economy.<\/p>\n
Equal Rights<\/h3>\n
The G20 is an important mechanism of global economic governance and an important platform for international economic cooperation. The success of the G20 summit 2016 is crucial for global economic recovery and growth. As women are important participants, contributors and beneficiaries of the world economic development, the theme of this year\u2019s W20 – \u201cEqual Participation and Innovative Development\u201d carries great significance.<\/p>\n
Last September at the Global Leaders\u2019 Meeting on Gender Equality and Women\u2019s Empowerment, with a view to carrying forward the spirit of the World Women\u2019s Conference in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the meeting and made an important speech, calling for women\u2019s development in tandem with social and economic development, protecting women\u2019s rights and interests and fostering a global environment favorable for women\u2019s development. The four points embody the global consensus on women\u2019s equal participation and gains broad recognition by the international community. We should work together to translate the initiative into reality and consensus into deliverables and promote common progress of women in the world and innovative development of the global economy.<\/p>\n
Challenges Ahead<\/h3>\n
First, efforts should be made to promote women\u2019s entrepreneurship, employment and equal participation in the development process. Women hold up \u201chalf of the sky\u201d of human society. Women\u2019s businesses and employment is a key driving force behind innovative development. In recent years, the level of women\u2019s participation in economic development has been on the rise, but women still face many challenges in opening their own businesses and finding jobs, and there is a lacking of social recognition for women\u2019s potential, talent and contribution. According to the World Bank reports, elimination of all forms of discrimination against women workers and managers will raise per capita productivity by 40%. It is all the more important to pool women\u2019s wisdom and strength at a time when the global economic recovery remains fragile.<\/p>\n
As the Chinese economy moves into a New Normal, efforts are made to encourage mass innovation and entrepreneurship and women are essential in this endeavor. To support women entrepreneurship, the government and women\u2019s organizations have worked with financial institutions to issue a total of over 290 billion yuan of government subsidized micro-credit to women. Handicraft industry with women characteristics has developed quickly in Sichuan Province. For 7 years, it has helped 230,000 women get flexible employment to work from home, with an annual output value of 4.6 billion yuan. Women have unique strengths in the internet economy and currently account for 55% of the entrepreneurs in this sector. Internet Sister in Jilin, an e-commerce start-up project, provides skills training and helps open\u00a0online shops free of charge for women wishing to run businesses on the internet and has created nearly 3000 online shops so far. Women are major forces behind technological innovation.<\/p>\n
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Mr. Li Yuanchao, Vice President of the People\u2019s Republic of China with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.<\/p><\/div>\n
New Strategies<\/h3>\n
In China 40% of scientists and technicians are women. An increasing number of women are entering the technology and knowledge intensive industries, and women take up over half of university enrollment. Tapping the full potential of women is an important feature of a modernized human society. Countries should adopt proper development strategies in accordance with their national conditions and women\u2019s situations, promote women\u2019s equal participation in development process with innovative policies and encourage more women to add impetus and make contribution to economic growth.<\/p>\n
Second, it is important to give play to the unique role of women and promote their equal participation in social management. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon stated that better results will be produced with women\u2019s participation no matter in which field. To achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls has been included into the UN\u2019s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a main goal. Countries should strengthen women\u2019s capacity building, raise their abilities to participate in political, economic and social activities and in decision-making and management, and foster more women leaders in the political, business and academic communities. Families are basic cells of society and places where women seek happiness and women are often the decisive figures in making their families happy. In recent years, Chinese women\u2019s federations at all levels have launched the \u201cMost Beautiful Family\u201d Campaign. The campaign has received 250 million votes and over 3 million families have been awarded the title of the \u201chappiest family\u201d, thus making unique contributions to family happiness and social harmony and inclusiveness.<\/p>\n
Third, women\u2019s rights and interests should be vigorously protected to ensure they have equal share of development benefits. Economic development does not necessarily bring improvement of women\u2019s status and development levels. Women and children bear the brunt of war and diseases. In this world more women are poor or illiterate, than men. There will be no development without women\u2019s participation and women are entitled to share development benefits. Countries should actively foster a gender culture of inclusiveness and equality, break away with obsolete perceptions, rules and traditions that discriminate against women; ensure women\u2019s equal access to public services, including education, healthcare, pensions and social security; improve legal systems and policy support that uphold women\u2019s interests and ensure women\u2019s equal access to development opportunities and resources. Poor, disabled and elderly women and other vulnerable women groups require more attention, so that women\u2019s development and life will be supported with full-fledged social policies.<\/p>\n
Bigger Growth<\/h3>\n
China now enjoys steady economic growth. In 2015 its GDP registered a mid-to-high growth rate of 6.9% and its contribution to the global economic growth was over 25%. In the first quarter this year, the GDP growth was 6.7% year-on-year, better than expected. China is implementing the 13th Five-Year-Plan and realizing the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, pushing through the supply-side structural reform and nurturing new growth drivers. The long-term trajectory of the Chinese economy remains sound.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s development provides many opportunities for the development of Chinese women. China will fully implement the basic state policy of equality between men and women, and support women in their efforts to fully tap their talents and make accomplishments. We will vigorously enforce the Law on the Protection of Women\u2019s Interests and Rights, the Law against Domestic Violence and other laws and regulations, and ensure women\u2019s equal access to education and employment. We will foster a social and cultural environment for gender equality, advocate for a family culture of equality and harmony and create favorable conditions for women\u2019s all-round development.<\/p>\n
China actively implements international conventions on gender equality and women\u2019s development, conducts broad multilateral and bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of women\u2019s affairs and strengthens friendly engagements with women\u2019s organizations of all other countries. Last year, the Chinese government announced its donation to the UN Women, and conducting the \u201chealth projects for women and children\u201d and the \u201chappy campus projects\u201d and training of women professionals for other developing countries. Work in these fields has made steady progress. China is ready to work with all other countries to meet the goals on women\u2019s advancement set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, make greater effort to narrow the development gap for women in all countries and promote women\u2019s all-round development, so that each and every woman in the world will be able to realize their own dream for happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Hong Kong\u2019s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2017<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHINA\u2019s Next Leader? It is widely held that China\u2019s President will continue Xi Jinping\u2019s anti-corruption legacy, be a tested foreign service veteran and have a clear vision of China\u2019s economic future. Will China\u2019s next president be LI YUANCHAO? Promote Women\u2019s Equal Participation and Foster Innovative Development of the World Economy Remarks by Vice-President Li Yuanchao […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5233,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[178,255,120,305,353],"tags":[179,306],"class_list":["post-5232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-china","category-cover-story","category-hkmvc-2017","category-man-of-the-year","category-special-feature","tag-china","tag-man-of-the-year","dropcap-y","no-lazy-placeholder"],"yoast_head":"\n