Beijing Women's Federation

The inaugural ceremony for the Beijing Women's Association for Science and Technology (BWAST) was held on December 7. Wu Haiying, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. Zheng Xiaojing, executive vice-president of the China Women's Association for Science and Technology (CWAST) and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), addressed the ceremony via video link. Xie Xin, Secretary-general of CWAST, Zhang Yajun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and President of Beijing Women's Federation (BWF), Shen Jie, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of Beijing Association for Science and Technology (BAST) and Fang Li, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, attended the ceremony.

 

Li Jing, executive vice-president of BWAST, presided over the ceremony. Representatives from BWAST's first group of 40 member units and individual members attended the ceremony online.

 

At the first general meeting of BWAST on December 3, the association's constitution was adopted and its first board of directors and board of supervisors were elected. Gu Ying, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an expert in laser medicine, was elected as president.

 

In the context of Beijing's development as an international scientific and technological innovation center, Gu said in her speech that she believes that the establishment of BWAST is timely and reflects the important role of female scientific and technological talents in the economic and social development of the capital. She said that in the future, she will earnestly perform her duties as BWAST President and strive to unite female scientific and technological talents in Beijing to integrate their pursuits in science into concrete action to power the development of the country, and contribute their wisdom and strength to the high-quality development of Beijing and the welfare of the people.

 

CAS academician Zhang Miman, a vertebrate paleontologist and the winner of the International Awards L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science, was elected honorary president of BWAST. Through video link, she inspired Beijing's scientific talents to adhere to their original aspirations and strive to make positive contributions to the country.

 

Zhang Yajun said the association should serve as an engine for female scientific and technological talents in Beijing to give full play of their role as "half of the sky" in scientific and technological innovation, and a frontier that guides women's development in science and technology and advocates the spirit of scientist with patriotism. The association should also be a platform that can give scientists opportunities to promote multidisciplinary and industrial-chain integration, a stage for them to fully show their talents and stories, and a home that give them warmth and relieve their worries.

 

Zhang Yajun, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and President of Beijing Women's Federation (BWF), delivers a speech.

 

On behalf of CWAST, Zheng said in her speech that according to the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, China should build up its strength in science and technology, which gives new meaning to the establishment of BWAST. She said BWAST must stick to correct political direction and find the focus of work in the overall plan for Beijing's development and its fundamental duty is connecting women scientific and technological talents. BWAST should guide women talents to integrate their personal endeavor into the national scientific and technological development and help improve Beijing's capabilities of innovation and competitiveness.

 

Guests attend the inaugural ceremony of the Beijing Women's Association for Science and Technology.

 

Wu pointed out in her speech that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation and the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee emphasized that we must ground our work in this new stage of development, apply the new development philosophy, foster a new pattern of development, and promote high-quality development, and we should build up our country's strength in science and technology. The ACWF has paid high attention to women scientific and technological talents and supported the development of associations for them. Wu said that Beijing met the requirement of ACWF in establishing provincial-level women's associations for science and technology in all provinces and municipalities by establishing BWAST timely, which provides a lasting, wide-covering and effective mechanism for promoting women to play their role in sci-tech. She hoped that women scientists integrate patriotism into the great practice of realizing Chinese Dream and hoped BWAST can combine its academic and professional advantages and international influence with their political consciousness, advanced nature, and ability to represent the people as a member unit of women's federation and support women to participate in the process in which synergy is created through the joint efforts of enterprises, universities, and research institutes. She also hoped that BWF will give ideological guidance, offer accurate services and keep contact with BWAST.

 

Wu Haiying, Vice-President and Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), delivers a speech. 

 

The establishment of the BWAST is an effort to implement the documents on promoting women's role in sci-tech innovation issued by ACWF and other departments and is a key part to implement the Women's Action in Scientific and Technological innovation — Beijing Action. Based on in-depth investigation and understanding of the needs of female sci-tech talents in various fields, BWF, BAST and the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology collaborated and gathered female talents in research institutes, universities, medical institutions, sci-tech service institutions and high-tech companies. The first group of members are widely distributed in biomedicine, electronics, aerospace, new energy, big data, environment, agriculture, construction engineering and other fields.

 

Other member units of BWF sent congratulations to BWAST via video link. In the future, the association will further expand its channel to increase its members and encourage female scientific talents to better play their role in the capital's scientific and technological innovation.