President Xi Jinping has called for greater efforts to protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children and to make respect for women and care for children a common practice throughout society.

In a recent instruction on the country's work for women and children, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that women serve as an important force in and children are the future vanguard of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing Chinese rejuvenation.

Party committees and governments at all levels must be better aware of the significance of work related to women and children, Xi said.

He underlined the importance of remaining committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality and the principle of prioritizing children's development, saying that programs for women and children's development must be fully implemented.

Xi also called for efforts to proactively create conditions and establish platforms for women to participate in the country's economic and social development.

Premier Li Qiang, who conveyed the instruction at a video and telephone conference on women and children's work held in Beijing on Thursday, said the country's policies should be refined to better support family development and protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children.