Fang Xiangming (left) talks with a reporter. [Photo for chinadaily.com.cn]

Fang Xiangming, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said that women today are facing a lot of pressure at work and the national birth rate is declining, but it is important to increase fertility rates as it is crucial for a vibrant population.

Speaking on International Women's Day, Fang, who has been working as an anesthesiologist for 37 years at the Zhejiang University School of Medicine, said she conducted 11 cesarean section surgeries on the first day of the Year of the Dragon and was so glad to have welcomed the newborns.

As a female advisor and also a mother, she hopes that more babies will be born.

"Letting the public know more about the use of anesthetic agents or an epidural during labor to reduce or manage pain, will help increase the birth rate," Fang said.

When asked about her opinions on the role played by women in social governance, Fang said she believes that men and women, with distinct gender characteristics, should fully leverage their gender advantages in their positions.

"For example, I feel women are more sensitive and delicate, so they may be better at discovering subtle issues or can persist in making in-depth research on a certain subject," she said.

Fang said she hopes that more efforts will be made to help improve women's participation in social governance.