The Soviets launched a woman cosmonaut back around 1963 but she was mostly a passenger in an automated spacecraft. America didn't launch our first female astronaut until about 20 years later. Eileen Collins was the first female Shuttle pilot and later mission commander (both positions well earned) and she didn't fly until about 10 years after Sally Ride.

Before we snicker at the Chinese, we need to recall that we'd been sending people into space for over 30 years before we sent a female as a pilot. Part of the reason was that for about 30 years, women weren't allowed to be US military pilots. Even after that restriction was lifted, they were relegated to instructor, transport, and tanker pilot roles. It has only been about 13 years that women were allowed to be fighter, bomber, and test pilots. To the best of my knowledge, the Chinese don't have any female military pilots. If that's the case, it isn't too surprising that they won't be sending any women to pilot their spacecraft.