Women constitute more than one third of scientists in China, according to an international seminar on women in science recently held in Beijing.

"More than 70 women are academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) or the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), said Deng Nan, vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology, at the seminar.

However, the proportion of women technicians and engineers are significantly low in the engineering field," said Shi Liying, deputy secretary-general of the CAE.

"Currently, the CAE has 38 female academicians, only accounting for 5.4 percent of the total," Shi said.

The China Association for women Scientists was officially established during the meeting, with the aim to help women scientists give full play to their role in economic and social development.

The seminar, which attracted scholars from some other developing countries such as Egypt, India and Mexico, focused on five topics including the relationship between women and science, how to attract more women into the field of science and major factors behind the success of female scientists.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2007)