Dongguan:China China is enhancing digital skills training and international cooperation to support women from developing countries in the digital economy, aiming to reduce the gender digital divide.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiatives include two training programs on artificial intelligence, digital entrepreneurship, and technology empowerment. These programs took place in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, in June 2026, with the participation of 51 women from 10 countries.

The efforts align with the vision of Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping and a UNESCO special envoy, who emphasized the importance of stronger vocational training and greater access to digital education. Peng highlighted that China's use of AI in education has improved educational quality and gender equality, offering a model for the Global South.

Research by the International Finance Corporation suggests that increasing women's participation in e-commerce in Africa and Southeast Asia could generate over US$300 billion in revenue from 2025 to 2030. In China, 14,147 women received vocational skills certificates as AI trainers in 2024, accounting for 42.3% of the total that year. Women also represent more than half of entrepreneurs in China's internet sector and a third of workers in fields like digital trade and e-commerce.

China has also promoted international exchanges through the Global Exchange and Cooperation Center for Digital Empowerment of Women, established in July 2025. Additionally, it has advocated for addressing gender bias in AI development and supported a UN General Assembly resolution on AI capacity-building cooperation.

These initiatives aim to enhance women's access to digital opportunities and support their role in the digital economy's transformation.