By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

China and Nigeria, Tuesday, celebrated the key role of women in driving social development and strengthening ties between the two countries.

Speaking at the Happy Chinese New Year Lantern Festival with the China-Nigeria Women’s Carnival, Cultural Counselor of Chinese Embassy & Director of CCCN, Yang Jianxing, said the occasion also marked preparations for International Women’s Day.

He highlighted women’s impact on families, communities, and national progress.

He said, “Today is the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in China, which is the Lantern Festival, and in five days, we will celebrate International Women’s Day.

“Women are the bond of families, the cornerstone of society, and a vital force driving social development and progress.”

Jianxing also noted China’s progress under the Beijing Declaration of 1995 and the significant gains women have achieved over the past three decades.

He said that by 2025, 690 million women in China will have achieved a moderately prosperous society, maternal mortality has dropped nearly 80 percent, women now make up over 40 percent of the total workforce, and more than half of internet entrepreneurs are women.

He emphasized that these figures demonstrate that without the development, resilience, and outstanding contributions of women, China’s current social and economic achievements would not have been possible.

According to Jianxing, millions of women in China are writing extraordinary chapters in their families, workplaces, and national development with wisdom, responsibility, and innovation, highlighting the pivotal role of women as a vital force driving societal progress and shaping the future.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, described the festival as a fusion of Chinese and Nigerian culture.

He pledged Nigeria’s support for cultural exchange and women’s empowerment.

“We will implement policies that empower women to lead in the digital economy and expand our tourism frontiers,” he said.

UNESCO Representative in Abuja, Jean-Paul Abiaga, said the event showed how culture and education can strengthen links between Nigeria and China while promoting gender equality.

He added that empowering women and girls is essential for societies to move forward and praised both countries for making strides in gender equality.