China on Thursday issued a white paper on the progress of women's cause in the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The white paper, titled "Equality, Development and Sharing: Progress of Women's Cause in 70 Years Since New China's Founding," has reviewed the progress that China has made in safeguarding women's rights and gender equality.

The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 ushered in a new era for women in China, changing their social status from an oppressed and enslaved group in the past thousands of years to masters of their own fate, the white paper said.

As the Chinese nation is rising and growing richer and stronger, Chinese women's social status has undergone enormous changes, it said.

As China's development has entered a new era, promoting gender equality and women's overall development at a higher level not only meets opportunities, but also has a long way to go, the white paper said.

Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, China will always adhere to safeguarding and improving women's livelihoods, promote women's all-round development, and lead hundreds of millions of women in working for national rejuvenation, it said.

At a press conference on the white paper, Huang Xiaowei, vice chair of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, has emphasized the strong Party leadership in women's development in China. 

Huang said a national policy of gender equality has been fully implemented since it was first initiated back in 1995, and China has gradually cultivated a mechanism with its own characteristics to improve the status of women.

China has also incorporated women's development into social and economic development, she noted.

Speaking at the press conference, Huang also hailed the legal work put into female development as the country works to legalize gender equality. 

As of the end of 2018, a total of 30 provinces in China have rolled out policies and regulations for gender equality assessment mechanisms, Huang said.

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(With inputs from Xinhua)