Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has asked relevant departments to protect the legitimate rights and interests of women and children and further improve their conditions, noting their situations are indicators of social progress.

    "Although China has made tremendous progress in the development of women and children since it began the reform and opening up policy, it still has much to do in protecting the rights and interest of women and children and in truly realizing the equality of men and women," Wen said at a national meeting on women and children held in Beijing from August 15 to 16.

    According to statistics of the Ministry of Health, medical facilities for children and women in rural areas are inadequate. Of the rural children who died of illness, half did not receive medical treatment or only received treatment in clinics.

    Wen ordered various levels of the government to attach importance to protecting the rights and interests of women and children and solve outstanding issues, including the employment of women, educational opportunities for all children and abduction and trafficking in women and children.

    He said the situation of women and children should be made an important index of economic and social development and government work. The development of women and children should be included in the 11th five-year (2006-2010) plan.

    All positive factors of the society, including trade unions and other non-governmental organizations, said Wen, should be mobilized to jointly progress in this field.

    Conditions should be created to facilitate women to participatein economic, political and cultural affairs, he said.

    Support for the development of rural women and children should be increased, he said.

    Vice-Premier Wu Yi, who is also chairman of the National Working Committee on Children and Women of the State Council, chaired the meeting.