HEATED DISCUSSION: Zhang Xiaomei (right), a CPPCC National Committee member, discusses women-related topics with other members at a panel discussion on March 4 (WEI YAO)

If women retire five years earlier than men, their lives will be affected in various aspects. It influences not only women's careers but also their household roles. Respect for women is in ensuring their legitimate right to work, rather than in depriving them of their due rights in the name of protection.

Lu Zhongmei (President of Hubei University of Economics, NPC deputy): It costs the same for the country to cultivate a female or male student. But women spend fewer years working than men, because of childraising and earlier retirement. Whatever measures may be taken to address women's retirement ages, it is essential to guarantee equality of results. Women should have the right to make choices by themselves after a certain number of years of work. They should also have the right to choose whether to retire or not, in the light of their personal situations.

Ding Junping (Deputy Director of Women and Gender Research Center at Wuhan University): With the development of science and technology, radical changes are taking place in the mode of labor activities. There is now little difference between men and women in non-manual jobs, especially when they work in government departments or work as technical persons. The traditional retirement system lacks fairness for women.

Cheng Ping (Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture of Guangdong Province, CPPCC National Committee member): I submitted the proposal of making women's retirement age the same as that of men's two years ago, and I am happy it has become one of the hot topics for this session. I think it is unfair women retire five years earlier than men. It is also part of the reason we have far fewer female officials at higher levels than men. When a woman and a man of the same age are both qualified for promotion, most probably it will go to the man as a woman is not allowed to work for as long as men do.

Chen Pingping (Party chief of the Wuhan Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CPPCC National Committee member): In recent years, the number of women with master's degrees in scientific and technological subjects, such as biology, physics and mechanics, has increased greatly. But women still account for a small proportion of the leading scientists of China. Many females, after graduating with master's degrees, switch to office work, which is supposed to be more suitable for them. Besides, women have to give birth to children and take care of housework. That is why female scientists need more time to make achievements. If women working in scientific fields retire at 55, it is a waste of talent. I think women should retire even later than men.