China and the Republic of Korea are moving to deepen cooperation on issues affecting women and children, combining high-level diplomatic engagement with formal policy commitments. A new article published by CGTN highlights recent exchanges that underline both countries’ interest in strengthening people-to-people ties and social development cooperation.

First Ladies’ Dialogue Signals Shared Priorities

The renewed focus was reflected in a tea meeting in Beijing between Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Kim Hea Kyung, wife of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Kim is accompanying President Lee on his first state visit to China. During their discussion, the two exchanged views on cultural exchanges and common concerns around the development and well-being of women and children.

Peng emphasised that strong people-to-people connections form an essential foundation for stable state-to-state relations, expressing hope that closer interactions would further mutual understanding between the two societies. Kim praised Peng’s long-standing commitment to women’s and children’s welfare and said South Korea is willing to expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation in this area.

Government-Level Agreement on Children’s Rights

The personal exchange between the two first ladies was mirrored at the official level on the same day, as China and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding focused on protecting children’s rights and improving their well-being. Witnessed by leaders from both countries, the agreement sets out plans for collaboration through policy dialogue, professional exchanges and capacity-building initiatives, signalling that social welfare is becoming a more visible pillar of bilateral relations.

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Peng Liyuan’s Longstanding Advocacy

The article also places the latest exchange within the broader context of Peng Liyuan’s work on women’s and children’s issues. In 2014, she was appointed a special envoy by UNESCO in recognition of her efforts to advance education for girls and women. Nearly a decade later, in 2023, she co-launched the “Warm Children’s Hearts, a China-Africa Joint Action” initiative with the Organization of African First Ladies for Development, providing health-related support to children in more than 50 African countries.

China’s Domestic Record and Global Commitments

Beyond individual initiatives, CGTN points to China’s broader domestic progress on maternal and child health. The country ranks among the leading upper-middle-income nations on indicators such as maternal mortality, infant mortality and under-five mortality. The World Health Organization has identified China as one of ten high-performing countries globally in maternal and child health outcomes.

Internationally, China has also expanded its commitments. At the Global Summit of Women in Beijing in October 2025, President Xi announced new pledges that include an additional 10 million dollars in contributions to UN Women over five years and the allocation of 100 million dollars from China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund to projects supporting women and girls. Other measures include support for 1,000 community-level livelihood programmes prioritising women and girls, training and exchange opportunities for 50,000 women, and the creation of a Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building.

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International Recognition of China’s Role

These efforts have drawn attention from global organisations. Representatives from UNICEF have highlighted China’s role in improving child well-being across the Global South through development cooperation, while veterans of the international women’s movement have described China as a practical and results-oriented contributor to global women’s development.

Taken together, the renewed China–South Korea exchanges and the accompanying policy initiatives suggest that cooperation on women’s and children’s welfare is becoming an increasingly prominent dimension of regional diplomacy, linking domestic progress with broader international engagement.

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