Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao met on Tuesday with Gertrude Mongella, a Tanzanian diplomat and women's rights advocate, as China prepares for a leading role in a global gender equality meeting.

Mongella was secretary-general of the Fourth World Conference on Women, an event convened by the UN in Beijing 20 years ago. In September, China and the UN will co-chair the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at UN Headquarters in New York.

Li said the conference in 1995 was of great significance and had a far-reaching influence.

He said he hopes the upcoming meeting will encourage implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the guideline that resulted from the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Mongella stressed the influence of the conference and said she hopes China will continue to promote gender equality and women's rights.