First of all, please allow me to pay respects to:
His Majesty King Letsie III,
Her Majesty the Queen,
His Right Honorable Prime Minister,
Her Honourable President of the Senate,
His Right Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly,
His Lordship the Honourable Chief Justice,
Her Honourable Deputy Prime Minister,
Honourable Cabinet Ministers, past and present,especially Minister Moorosi,
Your Royal Highness the Princess,
Excellencies,Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations,
Friends from media houses,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. Welcome to the Embassy.

Thirty years ago, the Fourth World Conference on Women was held in Beijing. It set the lofty goal of “Action for Equality, Development and Peace,” and adopted the landmark Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Conference injected new impetus into promoting gender equality and the all-round development of women worldwide, and is regarded as a milestone in the global women’s cause.

Five years ago, H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, attended the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women. In his important address, he proposed convening another Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in 2025. The meeting was successfully held in Beijing on Monday. President Xi attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote address.

Today, here in Maseru, we are gathering to revisit and carry forward the spirit of the Fourth World Conference on Women, and to jointly promote a new and accelerated process for women’s all-round development under the guidance of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women.

Over the past three decades, the spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women has galvanized global progress for women, making gender equality a universal goal. This commitment is reflected in its integration into UN development agendas and the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women by 189 countries. Globally, nearly 1,600 laws have been enacted to protect women’s rights. Women’s empowerment has achieved remarkable progress, evidenced by greater educational attainment and broader participation in economic, political, and social spheres. Today, countless outstanding women are shaping the international stage with their wisdom and strength. As President Xi said at the meeting, “women play an indispensable role in creating, promoting, and carrying forward human civilization.”

Lesotho has made remarkable strides in the cause of women. Her Majesty the Queen is the champion and has been taking the lead by her relentless personal efforts of words and deeds. 45% of Proportional Representation seats in the current National Assembly are held by women. Many key posts of national institutions are assumed by women: President of the Senate, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Communication, Minister of Finance. Maybe that’s why we also have the largest percentage of women Ambassadors in Maseru. I am the minority. But my work owes its success to the invaluable support of exceptional lady diplomats at my Embassy, and doctors, teachers, and volunteers from the Chinese community.

To all the ladies, you have made remarkable contributions to the development of Lesotho and the well-being of its people. Please allow me to extend to you, and through you to the women in Lesotho, my highest respect and heartfelt appreciation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the last century, during China’s women’s liberation movement, Chairman Mao Zedong made a powerful call: “Women hold up half the sky.” Since the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1921, the liberation of women and gender equality have been a core mission of the Party. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, a series of laws and regulations to protect women’s rights and interests were successively introduced, enabling women to make historic breakthroughs in education, employment, political participation, and marital autonomy.

In the new era, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has made the protection of women’s legitimate rights and interests, the promotion of gender equality, and women’s all-round development an integral part of Chinese modernization.

Since 2013, targeted poverty alleviation efforts have lifted millions of women out of poverty. Today, women account for more than half of higher education students and over 40 percent of the workforce. Notably, they make up nearly half of China’s scientific community, internet entrepreneurs, and judges—reflecting growing opportunities for women in leadership and professional fields.

Meanwhile, women’s health and well-being have improved significantly. The average life expectancy for women now exceeds 80 years, while for men 76 years. Maternal mortality has dropped by 77 percent between 1995 and 2024.

As China makes great strides in promoting women’s development domestically, we are also leading the global effort for women’s progress, especially in developing countries. Since 2015, China has contributed US$20 million to UN Women and co-established the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education. Through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF), China has implemented women-focused projects worth US$40 million in over 20 countries — many of them in Africa. We have carried out exchanges and cooperation with women’s organizations in more than 140 countries, trained over 200,000 women from more than 180 countries and regions, and provided employment support to over 100 countries.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Over the past 30 years, we have made great strides in safeguarding women’s rights. However, the global women’s cause still faces many challenges. Today, more than 600 million women and girls live under the threat of deadly conflict — the highest figure since the end of the Cold War. Around 10 percent of women and girls remain trapped in extreme poverty. Deep-rooted gender-based violence continues to threaten women’s safety, health, and freedom, while the digital divide further marginalizes women in an increasingly connected world.

In Lesotho, while more women are participating in legislation and state affairs, many still face serious challenges. HIV infection rates among women remain significantly higher than among men, and gender-based violence, adolescent pregnancy, and maternal mortality are still prevalent.

Facing the challenges, let us rededicate ourselves to the goals of the Beijing World Conference on Women and take the 2025 Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women as a new starting point to build greater consensus, chart a way forward, and take concrete actions to accelerate women’s all-round development.

To this end, President Xi has put forward four key proposals to the international community:jointly foster an enabling environment for women’s growth and development; jointly cultivate powerful momentum for the high-quality development of women’s cause; jointly develop governance frameworks to protect women’s rights and interests; jointly write a new chapter in promoting global cooperation on women.

Moreover, President Xi announced China’s new commitments to women’s development over the next five years: China will provide $10 million of funds to UN Women and $100 million for the GDF to support programs benefiting women and girls, aid 1,000 “small and beautiful” projects to improve women’s livelihoods, invite 50,000 women to China for exchanges and training, and establish a global center for women’s capacity building.

As a member of the Global South, China spares no effort to work with African countries to address gender issues and promote women’s development. The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Action Plan (2025–2027), released during the FOCAC Beijing Summit last year, explicitly includes initiatives to support women’s dialogue, enhance capacity-building for African women, and promote women’s all-round development.

Focusing on Lesotho, I am pleased to announce that, in cooperation with UNAIDS, China will provide assistance worth more than US$2 million to launch a project titled “Eliminating the Triple Threat in Girls and Young Women in Lesotho.” This project aims to help prevent new HIV infections, reduce gender-based violence and early and unintended pregnancies in Mokhotlong District. The number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 20,400.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am confident that the 2025 Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women will become a new milestone on the journey toward a world where every woman and girl can realize her full dignity and potential. I am equally confident that the unleashing of women’s potential will be an indispensable force in building a community with a shared future for humanity. By saying so, I would like to yield the floor to our distinguished women speakers. Let’s hear her voice, and your voice.

Thank you!