Fu Ying, spokesperson for the second session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), answers questions at a press conference for the second session of the 12th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2014. The second session of the 12th NPC, the national legislature, opened in Beijing on March 5. (Xinhua/ Liuzhen)

They could be gentle and soft; they could be strong and vigorous; they are independent and confident; they are brave to show up. “Holding up half the sky”, thousands of female NPC deputies and CPPCC members are active in the “two sessions”.

The International Women's Day falls on March 8, during the ongoing sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The following photos show the female NPC deputies and CPPCC members in the “two sessions”.