{"id":11925,"date":"2023-03-06T22:19:27","date_gmt":"2023-03-06T22:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=11925"},"modified":"2025-04-23T09:33:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T09:33:27","slug":"9-inspiring-interviews-to-read-this-international-womens-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/9-inspiring-interviews-to-read-this-international-womens-day\/","title":{"rendered":"9 inspiring interviews to read during Women’s History Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

TikTok\u2019s parent company, Bytedance, has a female CEO, and the country is home to two-thirds of the world\u2019s female billionaires. Yet social pressures and media representation still pose challenges for many women in China. Ahead of International Women\u2019s Day, FOCUS showcases 10 women who have overcome these challenges to succeed in China<\/h2>\n

Chinese women are showing that, as Mao once famously said, they do indeed \u201chold up half the sky\u201d. Millions of inspiring female entrepreneurs have transformed society by smashing through glass ceilings in their respective industries; a 2021 report by Hurun Research Institute showed that China is home to an astonishing two-thirds of the world\u2019s top female billionaires.<\/p>\n

But the situation is not all rosy, especially further down the career ladder. In 2020, the World Economic Forum\u2019s Global Gender Gap report found that only 9.7% of board members of publicly-listed companies in China were women, despite women accounting for 43.2% of the workforce.<\/span><\/p>\n

Women also lag behind in the political sphere, especially at the most senior levels of China\u2019s political system. Women represent just 8.8% (11 out of 205 seats) on the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, one of China\u2019s highest organs of government. No woman has ever sat on the Politburo Standing Committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This lack of political representation reflects some of the broader social issues facing women in China. Traditional gender roles do still influence today\u2019s society, especially when it comes to family and marriage. The term \u2018leftover women\u2019, <\/span>which refers to women in their late 20s who are still single, is going out of fashion, but the idea that women must be married by a certain age still holds strong. \u2018Marriage pushing\u2019 is common, and young women face considerable pressure from their parents and relatives to get married.<\/p>\n

Despite these challenges, sparks of hope abound: women have access to more job opportunities across all industries, are graduating from university in greater numbers than ever before, and women\u2019s issues are becoming more widely discussed across society. For companies keen to advance their cause, success awaits.<\/p>\n

\"launchpad<\/a><\/p>\n

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HMA Dame Caroline Wilson on trade and future UK-China relations<\/a><\/h4>\n

Appointed British Ambassador to China in late 2020, Dame Caroline Wilson is the second woman to hold the position after Dame Barbara Woodward (British Ambassador 2015-2020). Arriving at a time of increased diplomatic challenges (not to mention the Covid-19 pandemic), she spoke to FOCUS about her goals for trade, climate and beyond.<\/p>\n

The UK and China have already achieved so much together but I want us to have an even more ambitious future agenda.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For the full interview with Dame Caroline Wilson, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Entrepreneur Mirjam Thieme on what makes a great female role model<\/a><\/h4>\n

Mirjam Thieme is the owner and CEO of MB it-Consulting China, where she works with companies as a business consultant. She told Focus about the strong women in her family that inspired her to pursue her dreams, as well as the work she does with not-for-profit communities and organisations in China.<\/p>\n

I believe that if you don\u2019t stretch yourself you\u2019re contracting, both in body and mind<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For the full interview with Mirjam Thieme, click here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n