Under mainland law, women have enjoyed protection against discrimination since 1992, but the reality is that they are still a long way from enjoying anything resembling full equality. On the one hand, we have witnessed the rise of Wu Yi, the tough-talking vice-premier who, as foreign trade minister, made a name for herself going toe to toe with top trade negotiators from around the globe and helping China gain entry into the World Trade Organisation, before leading the mainland's fight against Sars. On the other, there are so many signs that women are, as a group, still greatly disadvantaged.
From the skewed birth ratio running heavily in favour of boys, to the cosmetic surgery boom fuelled by a labour market where it is still acceptable to specify what applicants should look like, to women's uneven access to marital assets after divorce - the indications are hard to ignore. For every success story like Ms Wu's, there are many less cheerful tales - of girls who are aborted, abandoned or not given access to education, and of women who are not promoted because they are expected to give up work to start a family or retire early. Recent changes in the laws giving women more protection are a positive change but they will have minimal effect unless society undergoes a more fundamental shift in attitudes.
The law against selective abortion is a case in point. Some two decades ago, the mainland's birth ratio stood at the world average - about 106 boys for every 100 girls. Thanks to the one-child policy and a social preference for male children, that ratio is now 117 to 100. Recent easing of the one-child policy and a law passed this year that imposes penalties for using ultrasounds to determine the sex of a foetus - and for sex-selective abortions - may eventually help. Yet reports still abound of orphanages full of unwanted girls. Put with higher infant mortality for girls because of inadequate medical care, it is apparent the social repercussions of the country's skewed gender balance will be felt for some time to come.
There has been progress, of course. More women now have university education - about 15 per cent in the cities and 1.5 per cent in the countryside - and more women have entered the workforce. But on what terms will they be allowed to participate in what is widely recognised as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world? Recruitment ads still specify requirements such as age, height and weight, and the message women are receiving is that they will be judged as much by what they look like as by their professional qualifications. As we reported yesterday, large numbers, believing this to be true, have resorted to plastic surgery to stay competitive.
It is also acceptable to specify gender in employment ads, with certain jobs reserved for men and others for women. Under these circumstances, the glass ceiling resembles more a concrete barricade. Even in Shanghai, the bustling financial centre, official statistics show that almost 90 per cent of work units are presided over by men. In the countryside, where village chiefs often have the final say, the situation is the same.
Women like Ms Wu who have become accomplished and recognised for their acumen have done so in spite of the obstacles. Even if China did nothing to promote equality of the sexes, such women would still succeed. Yet if the mainland wants to bring the fruits of progress to all citizens, there should be no question of leaving the female half of the population behind. Protection of women's property and employment rights should necessarily be enshrined in law, but that alone is not enough. The laws need to be enforced and long-held biases challenged. These are two tasks that require true commitment.