Xi directs quashing of Chinese feminists even as he praises advances at women's conference

"Addressing dignitaries gathered in Beijing on Monday, Xi Jinping praised the historic achievements of women's rights in China. In the past 30 years, the Chinese president said, maternal mortality rates had dropped by nearly 80%, and women were now participating in the project of national governance with unprecedented confidence and vigour. Xi was speaking at the global women's summit, an event on Monday and Tuesday to mark the 30th anniversary of the historic UN's world conference on women, which took place in Beijing."

"It was there in 1995 that Hillary Clinton, the then US first lady, delivered her women's rights are human rights speech, lines now often quoted by people in China advocating for women's rights. This year, Chinese officials used Xi's speech to highlight the contributions that China has made to women's advancements. Xi announced a $10m (7.5m) donation to UN Women, the organisation's gender-equality agency, as well as a $100m fund for global south countries."

"Today, countless people, primarily young women, identify as feminists and practice feminist choices in their personal lives, said Lu Pin, an activist based in New Jersey who founded an influential feminist organisation in China that was forced to close in 2018. However, feminist activities beyond personal life are severely limited, including public discussion, let alone policy advocacy, accountability and collective action, said Lu, who has been based in the US since 2015,"

Maternal mortality in China has dropped by nearly 80% over the past 30 years. Women's participation in national governance has increased, with greater confidence and vigour. A global women's summit in Beijing marked the 30th anniversary of the 1995 UN world conference on women. Officials highlighted national contributions to women's advancement and pledged a $10m donation to UN Women alongside a $100m fund for Global South countries. Despite these gains, feminist organising beyond personal life faces severe limits, including restricted public discussion, curtailed policy advocacy, forced closures of groups, detentions since 2015, and a broader crackdown on civil society.

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