Foreign embassies and consulates in China celebrated the 95th International Women's Day Tuesday.

The Australian Consulate in Shanghai held a reception Tuesday, and over 100 women representatives attended the event. The Russian Embassy in China gave staff the day off to celebrate the festival.

More than 30 wives of diplomats from 15 countries -- including Japan, Singapore and Hungary -- visited a high-tech zone in Tianjin and spent Sunday with the female representatives there.

The Laos Embassy held a reception Saturday for the Laotian who are working and studying in China.

The wives of diplomats from Arab countries will get together Wednesday for the Women's Day, and wives of some western countries' diplomats have also been invited, according to an official from the Qatar Embassy.

International Women's Day was established in 1910 by Klara Zetkin, secretary of the International Women's Secretariat, to unite the women of the world to oppose the aggression, persecution and to strive for the legal rights of women.

China has held a reception annually to celebrate the day since the founding of the New China, and this year's reception was held Monday at the Great Hall of the People. Chinese women leaders and the wives of the foreign diplomats attended the reception.

Some observers say the day has evolved from non-governmental to governmental activities and the forms are more diverse. This, they say, shows the increased concern of the government on women as well as the improved awareness by the women on safeguarding their own rights.

Source: Xinhua