BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Deepening business cooperation among BRICS countries, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) held the 2022 BRICS Women's Leadership Forum on May 31. During the forum, the Mulan Award was granted to 15 candidates as part of the BRICS Women Innovation Contest co-launched by DHgate in March and the Special Contribution Award to another 5 candidates in recognition for their efforts in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the Award Ceremony, two-panel discussions under "Let Your Inner Strength Shine Through" were hosted, and the BRICS Women's Development Report was published to provide an overview of the current status and progress of women's development in BRICS countries.

Shen Yueyue, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the All-China Women's Federation chairperson, delivered a keynote speech on the forum. Ren Hongbin, Chairman of CCPIT, delivered opening remarks. Zhang Shaogang, Vice Chairman of CCPIT moderated the forum. Zhao Haiying, Chairperson of China Chapter, BRICS WBA, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of China Investment Corporation also delivered opening remarks.

Diane Wang, Member of China Chapter of BRICS WBA, Founder, Chairperson & CEO of DHgate Group, attended a panel discussion themed on Differences Make Her Remarkable, along with Dong Mingzhu, Member of China Chapter of BRICS WBA, Chairperson of the Board and President of Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai, Sangita Reddy, Chairperson of India Chapter of BRICS WBA, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, Lebogang Zulu, Chairperson of South Africa Chapter of BRICS WBA, Group CEO of AV South Africa, and Smriti Aryal, Country Representative of UN Women China.

�To date, there is still a large gap in access and capacity, no matter in any economy. Women from underdeveloped areas still face more difficulties accessing resources. Working in the digital trade business, we observed the relationship between the production and consumption in the global trade as well as the retail chain is being reshaped in the rising social commerce era. In the social commerce era, digital skills are opening more possibilities for women in e-commerce and other business fields. More learning resources mean more opportunities, as entrepreneurship is often the only alternative for labor force participation in the emerging markets.� said Diane Wang during a panel discussion on the importance for women to grasp digital skills and tools in society.

�DHgate launched MyyShop, a one-stop social commerce SaaS platform in 2020, through connecting global SME supply chains with people owning substantial private domain traffic, we are aiming for lowering the barrier for people to start and run a cross-border e-commerce business, help MSMEs, especially entry-level merchants and individuals succeed with our social commerce tools & services on MyyShop platform. The road ahead in supporting women in business through knowledge sharing and e-learning will be continuous. Therefore, I highly recommend that we leverage more resources with organizations that already have projects related to women entrepreneurship and empowerment within BRICS countries.� Diane Wang supplemented.

She shared with all participants that, the Chinese initiative on women in e-commerce and digital e-learning training programs towards women-led MSMEs were recognized and supported by other representatives from WBA Chapters in the joint working group on the inclusive economy. For example, MyyShop is planning a series of pilot events in the second half of this year, collaborating with SheTradesZA, a platform that dedicates to helping South African women entrepreneurs, and Mann Deshi Foundation, which is dedicated to the economic empowerment of rural women in India, in order to facilitate more effective dialogues from different parties within BRICS countries about how to leverage systematic approaches, such as digital e-learning training programs towards women-led MSMEs, to protect and empower more women in the global economy.

�The accumulated different insights and ideas from these events will be our legacy, leading us to scale up the women entrepreneurship works and eventually help more women in need. By spreading our brilliant ideas and solutions through the media, we can also amplify social influence, letting more people and stakeholders in the respective countries aware of the importance of women empowerment.� Diane Wang emphasized.

Chinese and foreign senior government officials and business leaders, representatives of international organizations, foreign institutions in China, and business associations, diplomats from BRICS countries to China, as well as outstanding women representatives from BRICS countries were invited to the forum to share their insights and viewpoints.

Regarding the winners of the BRICS Women Innovation Contest, Tang Limei, a scientist leading a team exploring the extreme environment on earth, Wang Yang, the Co-founder & President of NewLink, and Su Xiaoli, managing director and general manager of Qinghai Plateau Qing Embroidery Industry Operation Co., Ltd, were awarded the Mulan Award. Zhang Junjun, the chairperson of Jiangsu Wuxi Sunny Group, was granted the Special Contribution Award.

The BRICS Women Innovation Contest was first proposed at the BRICS Summit in November 2020 by the Chinese State Leader and received comprehensive support from all BRICS leaders. DHgate has been supportive in facilitating both the first and now the second contest and driving numerous other relevant initiatives to help women recognize their potential and power within their careers.

About DHgate

Founded in 2004, DHgate has become the leading B2B cross-border e-commerce marketplace in China. Through our global operations and offices, including in the USA and UK, we reach millions of people with trusted products and services. As of December 31, 2021, DHgate served more than 46 million registered buyers from 223 countries and regions by connecting them to over 2.4 million sellers in China and other countries, with over 37 million live listings on the platform annually. For more information, please visit dhgate.com and follow @DHgate.com.

Contacts

Harry Wang

Tel: (86) 10 � 8202 8870 ext.8284

[email protected]

Georgina Lv

Tel: (86) 10 � 8202 8870 ext.8908

[email protected]