Beijing Women's Federation

The 27th Beijing-Taiwan Science and Technology Forum was held in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area from September 19 to 21. As an important component of the three-day forum, an event on women's development took place on the afternoon of September 20.

With the theme of "Innovation Creates a Bright Future," the event was jointly held by Beijing Women's Association for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese and Taiwan Women Elites Federation under the guidance of Beijing Women's Federation (BWF). It invited over 80 businesswomen, women sci-tech workers and representatives of women's social organizations from Beijing and Taiwan. Those in attendance of the event also included Vice-President of the BWF Tan Hong, Li Jinsong, Deputy Director of Taiwan Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government, An Chunling, Chairperson of the Trade Union of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Huang Xihui, President of the Taiwan Women Elites Federation, and Ye Chengzhen, vice president of Kaohsiung Women's Federation, and Zhuang Wenling, vice president of Kaohsiung Qingxi Women's Association. Zhong Jin, Executive Vice-President of Beijing Women's Association for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese, and Liu Ruolan, Special Adviser of Taiwan Women Elites Federation, presided over the event.

"Scientific and technological innovation and development have made our life more convenient, comfortable and beautiful. Women have not only benefited from technological innovation and development but also played an important role in the entire process," said Tan in her speech. She introduced that the capital city's advantages in technological innovation and human resources have provided women from the two regions with opportunities for development, and she hoped the meeting will promote the exchanges and mutual learning between women's organizations in the two places and develop into a bridge for their closer cooperation.

Huang conveyed thanks to BWF for its warm reception and reviewed the exchanges between women's organizations since the establishment of the Beijing-Taiwan Science and Technology Forum. Noting that innovation has fundamentally transformed people's lifestyles, promoted the changes of people's thinking, broken down boundary limitation and created tremendous opportunities, she called on women from Beijing and Taiwan to make full use of their strength in the building of a better life.

Ye asked women from Beijing and Taiwan to embrace challenges together, strive for the realization of their dream, expand their participation in all social sectors, and build a more inclusive and fair society.

An said as one of major platforms for the capital city to build itself into an international sci-tech innovation hub and develop high-end industries, Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area has always attached great importance to the development of women technological workers, hoping that the forum will further deepen cross-Strait sci-tech cooperation.

During the speech session, 10 representatives from Beijing and Taiwan talked over the importance of innovation upon the improvement of people's life from the perspectives of health, connectivity, beautiful and convenient life and lifetime learning. They also spoke about their experiences and feeling in the process of innovation.

Audience became fully mobilized in the discussion session. Several women representatives related their own career and experiences to hold talks over design, cultural creation, medicine, education, telecommunication and healthcare, strengthening mutual understanding and looking forward to a bright prospect of cooperation.

To better prepare for the event, a 40-person delegation of Taiwan Women Elites Federation, Kaohsiung Women's Federation and Kaohsiung Qingxi Women's Association made a five-day visit in the capital city. The inspection tour brought them to the cross-Strait technological products fair, Beijing Tongrentang (a traditional Chinese medicine brand)'s Zhima Health Store, Beijing Performing Arts Center, the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing, the cross-Strait science and technology innovation center, and the 798 Art District, where they gained a deep understanding of the development of high-tech enterprises, healthcare, cultural and creative industries, the revitalization of traditional brands, and urban renewal in Beijing. Attendees spoke highly of the utilization of Beijing's technological innovation achievements into the building of a better life, expressed excitement about the new vitality of traditional culture. They looked forward to further deepening cooperation with various sectors in Beijing in the future and promoting integrated development in Beijing and Taiwan in both technological innovation and social development.