China's women: A new spirit for a new century

Counting only China's female population, China would still be the second most populous nation on earth. With the implementation of the “Open Door” policy and the introduction of a market economy, Chinese women will gain new opportunities and face unfamiliar obstacles. To adapt, they must be willing to reevaluate traditional roles, and meet these challenges head‐on. Chinese women can learn some from the spirit of western women in their struggle for equality. Like it or not, the reality of “China at the Turn of the Century” will demand changes. This article attempts to (1) draw attention to the changing status of women in China; (2) compare their emerging struggle to that of American women; (3) suggest that Chinese women adopt the spirit of western women to redefine themselves without losing their Chinese identity.