"Women have been the driving force of social civilization, the guardians of family warmth, the pursuers of light on the path to dreams, and most importantly, the souls who determine their own paths in life," Liu said in an interview.
Born in October 1978 in central China's Henan Province, Liu made history as the first Chinese woman to fly into space on her maiden mission aboard the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2012. As a crew member, she witnessed China's mastery of key technologies for manned spaceflight, laying a solid foundation for the country's space station.
A decade later, during the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022, Liu spent 183 days with other crew members in orbit around Earth, witnessing the completion of the assembly of the basic configuration of China's Tiangong space station.
"May every woman empower herself with tenderness, weather storms with resilience, create value with wisdom, and illuminate life with passion. May we never be limited by age or bound by labels," Liu said.
Liu never stopped pursuing her dream of becoming an astronaut. Last January, she participated in China's first astronaut cave exploration training with more than 20 other colleagues.
"Inside the cave, there is complete darkness and silence, a condition very similar to that of outer space," said Liu, who served as her team commander.
"We are continuously preparing for longer stays in space, for landing on the Moon, and for exploring even more distant celestial bodies," she said.
Liu has actively shared her spaceflight experiences by visiting schools to inspire young people to pursue their dreams with courage and determination.
As a representative of outstanding women, she has also shared insights and achievements related to China's high-quality development and women's empowerment in the new era at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
"Be free, be brave, and shine brightly!" Liu said, extending her International Women's Day greetings to women around the world.
