Wu Zetian (武则天) – China’s only female emperor. Image Courtesy: China Simplified C3S Issue Map II Politics & Feminism in China - Will Women Hold Up Half the Sky?- Anuja Gurele Research Officer Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) 1 0 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 9 About the Author Anuja Gurele is a Research Officer at Chennai Centre for China Studies. She has completed her MA in Politics and International Relations from Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar and Bachelors’ in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal. Her areas of interest include Chinese Foreign Policy, maritime security and Soft Power. The views expressed in this Issue Map are of the author and do not reflect those of C3S. About C3S The Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S), registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975 (83/2008 dated 4th April 2008), is a non-profit public policy think tank. We carry out in depth studies of developments relating to China with priority to issues of interest to India such as geopolitical, economic and strategic dynamics of India-China relations, Chinas internal dynamics, border issues, Chinas relations with South Asian countries, prospects of trade, the evolution of Chinese politics and its impact on India and the world, ASEAN and SAARC relations, cultural links, etc. C3S attempts to provide a forum for dialogue with China scholars in India and abroad and give space for the expression of alternate opinions on China related topics. We also provide a database for research on China with special attention to information available in Chinese language. Additionally, events, lecture discussions and seminars are organised on topics of current interest. What is an Issue Map? C3S has launched the Issue Map initiative. The reports under this series analyse the status and developments of current scenarios in detail. They attempt to aid the reader to get a more comprehensive idea of the issue being addressed, along with illustrations and data. Issue Maps are available for download as PDFs. Objective developing state; the legal responsibilities of China as a normal sovereign state; the The objective of this Issue Map is to additional responsibilities of China as a understand and analyse the prospects for great power; and the special responsibilities China adopting a semblance of feminism in of China as a permanent member of the its foreign policy. The recent move by United Nations Security Council.i Sweden to declare an official feminist foreign policy has put the political status of These responsibilities could only be women in China and other countries under fulfilled with sheer commitment towards the lens. The work will particularly international law and implementing them examine the participation of women in the with an effective foreign policy. political domain of PRC. In this Issue Map Advocating and promoting women's rights an analysis of the potential for China to and representation in the political arena is adopt a feminist foreign policy will be one such responsibility which falls under conducted. the rubric of all the above mentioned Introduction postulates. A model of the above can be seen in the With great power comes great launch of Sweden’s Feminist Foreign responsibility. As China moves forward in Policy on August 24, 2018. This move by the 21st century, a visible power transition Stockholm is an endeavour to kindle the is witnessed from the West to the East. Image Courtesy: The Berkshire Edge As a rising power, China is expected by the earlier thought to be two-mutually international community to play a more exclusive fields - Feminism and Foreign significant role in fulfilling its global Policy. It leads to several questions on responsibilities. These responsibilities can whether Sweden will be able to live up to be categorized into four: the internal this policy, will this policy be able to responsibilities of China as a large encourage more women into the arena of international politics and how this kind of inception, the concept has remained foreign policy is perceived by the other debatable. It has also been widely countries. This report mainly focuses on the acknowledged and is mostly associated question of the status of women in China’s with activism at various levels. Recently, political timeline, and whether China will with the launch of Sweden’s feminist be able to take the giant leap in the direction foreign policy, the debate has been stirred of a feminist foreign policy in future. In again. order to make an educated prediction on Fundamentally, a feminist foreign policy China and the concept of a feminist foreign aims to apply systematic gender equality policy, it is necessary to evaluate the perspectives towards the foreign policy country’s stance on the concept of agenda of the country adopting it, and aims feminism itself. to bring in women into power spaces. A Definition and Motivations feminist foreign policy could act as an behind a Feminist Foreign instrument to create greater gender parity especially in the country’s political domain, Policy by increasing opportunities for women in leadership positions. It aims to do so by The theoretical domain of international bringing three R’s of Rights, relations has been dominated by traditional Representation and Resources to the mainstream theories which focused on the women and for the women.ii On a parallel Participants at the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum meeting held in Huairou, China, as part of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China on 4-15 September 1995. Image Courtesy: UN Photo/Milton Grant. imposition of some form of order. note, it would generate greater gender Feminism is one such post-structuralism sensitivity towards other nations, by theory which aims to evaluate international making it imperative to consider the impact politics using the lens of gender. Since its of the country’s foreign policy decision on the women around the world. A study of China’s outlook towards women’s rights this concept would reveal how the present could be evaluated alongside its global power structures create foreign policies military sales, given that women and which are gender insensitive.iii children are among the most affected in armed conflict. These aspects as seen above, prompt the question of whether China, which calls itself as an upcoming global power, is ready to adopt a feminist foreign policy? This question becomes especially relevant since, Beijing is the site where the Fourth World Conference of Women was held in 1995, when it was affirmed that “Women’s empowerment and their full participation Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström with the on the basis of equality in all spheres of handbook for feminist foreign policy. Image Courtesy: Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry for Foreign society, including participation in the Affairs. decision-making process and access to According to Shoemaker & Dharmapuri as power, are fundamental for the mentioned in the Oxford research achievement of equality, development [,] Encyclopaedia of Politics, a feminist and peace.” iv foreign policy is one that “prioritizes the full implementation of international and Hence, one asks if China, a country which national commitments to advance human claims to rise peacefully and is soon to rights—that includes gender equality.” It become a global leader, would be able to has two central policy goal; gender parity accommodate the idea of gender parity and and gender sensitivity. It goes beyond gender mainstreaming and aims ‘normative re-orientation’ of foreign policy to a policy which is more cosmopolitan and could endorse global peace and justice. For some observers, this recent action by Sweden shows that feminism has moved beyond just being a theoretical concept and is actually coming into practice. However, for critiques Sweden’s new policy is seen as unrealistic and a hypocritical move by the country. They argue how a country could promulgate foreign policy which has peace and justice as its fundamental principles, while it itself is one of the biggest seller of arms and ammunition to West Asian Report on Fourth World women Conference. countries. Image Courtesy: Alexander Street This is in contradiction to the fundamentals gender sensitivity in its list of core agendas. of feminist foreign policy. In this light, it To understand these prospects, it becomes will be examined subsequently, how necessary to first understand the political status of women in China down the ages, The scene is drastically different in and how it has evolved over time. contemporary China. One can often observe the promulgation of sexist norms in Journey of Women in China’s the society. Instances of it can be seen in the Political Realm idea of women are being compelled to fulfil their domestic ‘duties’, and phrases like With the economic progress of China, the ‘leftover women’ being formulated for the country’s women have come a long way as women who choose to complete PhD and well. But this journey has not been not marry. consistent. Rather, there have been highs During the pre-modern era, even and lows. The status that present day mythological anecdotes emphasized Chinese women have been able to acquire women as the creator of humankind, which in terms of education and career shows the value which was associated with opportunities are based on the efforts and women in the society. The most popular hard work of several activists who had put mythological folklore is of Nu Wa’s their determined efforts for promoting the Creation Story. cause of their country’s women citizens. This section aims to evaluate how the status of women has evolved in China. Along the process it would also trace the rise of the concept of feminism and how it has changed over the generations in China.