Beijing Women's Federation

The Russian delegation visitHaojing Flower Plantation Base in Beijing.

 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia.In June, the state leaders of China and Russia signed a joint statement to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

 

As contributors and inheritors of the two countries' friendship, Chinese and Russian women have cooperated closely and supported each other during the past 70 years and their exchanges and cooperation have been strengthened.

 

In a move to better align with the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination fora new era, the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), as a member of the Women's Council of the China-RussiaCommittee for Friendship, Peace and Development,co-hosted the China-Russia Women's Forumon 70th Anniversary of China-Russia Diplomatic Ties with the Women's Union of Russia on October 27.During the event, a memorandum of understanding was inked between ACWFand the Women's Union of Russia.The agreement was to further enhance the pragmatic cooperation between women from the two nations in various sectors.ZhaoHaiying, Member of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President of the Beijing Women's Federation (BWF), attended the forum, as anew Chinese member of the Women's Council of the China-RussiaCommittee for Friendship, Peace and Development.

 

On October 28, Ekaterina Lakhova, Chairperson of the Women's Union of Russia, headed a five-person delegation to visit Haojing Flower Plantation Base in Beijing.

 

The visit was aimed at helping the Russian delegation learn more about business ventures managed by female Chinese entrepreneurs in the suburbs of the capital city.

 

Their first stop was a greenhouse, whose temperature and humidity can be maintained by an intelligent control system and high-tech irrigation facilities based on the internet connection. The Russian visitors appraised the technology used in the base.

 

It came as a surprise to the Russian visitors that there were many ornamental plants and edible condiments which can be frequently found in their own country.

 

According to Song Wenyan, head of the plantation base,by introducing foreign species, doing research and cooperating with the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Agriculture,the base has come up with many high-quality potted plants over the past few years.Apart from enriching the domestic market, Song said that products had been sold to Japan, Russia and other countries.

 

The inspection tour also brought the Russian delegation to the areas reserved for packing and delivery. The visitors learned that the plantation base has greatly expanded its sales channels through the use of internet-based platforms.According to statistics, the volume of its online sales reached 1.8 million yuan ($268,657) in 2018. It is anticipated that sales will top three million yuanin the current year.

 

The Russian delegation held talks with employees about their average salaries, sources of capital and efforts made by women's federations to assist them in business start-ups and employment.

They found that there are 43 women among the 52-strong workforce in the plantation base and their monthly income started from 4,500 yuan on average.

 

Officials said that in addition to policies, capital support, and vocational training, local women's federations have provided the plantation base many opportunitiesto attend exhibitions and exchange events.

 

The Women's Federation of ChangpingDistrict in June, as an example, offered the base an amount of capital from its rural women innovation and entrepreneurship project fund to support its scientific studies.

 

Members of the delegation said that they had seen the hard work and wisdom of local women— along with their aspirations to live a better life— pay off, especially for the booming pot plants business there.

 

For her part, Lakhova noted that Beijing had made remarkable achievements in the promotion of women's business start-ups and employment over the past decades.

 

She added that she had been greatly inspired by the efforts made by local women's federations in the assistance of female entrepreneurship during the same period.

 

Lakhova stressed that women from two countries have played a significant role in maintaining China-Russia friendship and theyshould continue working hand in hand. By doing so, they could jointly help advance the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, as this year marked the 70th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations.

 

Zhao replied that BWF had forged a deep friendship with Russian women while attending many high-level exchange activities — such as the China-Russia Women's Cultural Week, the Vladimir Regional Economic Forum and the Moscow International Handicrafts Festival — alongside connections made during decades of Russian delegation visits.

 

Zhao said that she felt deeply impressed by Russian women's involvement in entrepreneurship and innovation —achievements that were presented in the China-Russia Women's Forum held on October 27.

 

Both Zhao and Lakhova agreed that both sides should grasp the opportunity of the Russian delegation's visit to further deepen cooperation and exchanges on the promotion of gender equality and the future well-rounded development of women in theirrespective nations.

Officials with the ACWFliaison department, the Beijing Women's International Center and the Women'sFederation of Changping District joined the visit.

Zhao Haiying (left) offers a present made by local women to the visiting Russian delegation. 

 

Women from both countries pose for a group photo.