How Janet Yellen’s women’s power lunch exposed China’s divide over women’s rights

US treasury secretary held several meetings on recent Beijing visit but only an all-women gathering drew ire from nationalists on social media

‘I see it all the time when I’m almost the only woman in the room,’ Yellen tells dining companions. ‘I’m sure many of you have that same experience.’

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Published: 10:30pm, 24 Jul 2023Updated: 6:39am, 25 Jul 2023

When US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrapped up her four-day visit to Beijing earlier this month, there was little public mention of the all-male line-up of the Chinese officials in her working meetings.

But when she hosted a lunch with a handful of Chinese women economists and entrepreneurs, China’s social media came alive, accusing the attendees of treason for meeting Yellen and labelling them “radical feminists”.

According to the US Treasury Department, the women discussed the Chinese economy and “opportunities to increase the representation of women in the workforce, including in leadership positions”.

“I see it all the time when I’m almost the only woman in the room,” Yellen told the women, according to foreign media reports. “I’m sure many of you have that same experience at decision-making tables.”

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The rampant criticism on heavily censored social media platforms in China underlined rising nationalism amid China’s tensions with the West and highlighted Beijing’s suspicion of feminism, which is regarded by the ruling Communist Party as a product of Western ideology, according to analysts.

They said the episode also spoke volumes about the deep divide between how the party – with its remarkable all-male line-up of leadership – views women’s rights and US President Joe Biden’s cabinet, the most gender-diverse in American history.