Great Care Needed for Disabled People

Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing has called on governments at all levels to take proper care of the disabled and on society as a whole to continue volunteering to help China's handicapped citizens.

Li, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, made the call at a national meeting Sunday, the 10th National Day for Aiding the Disabled, to commend model volunteers for the disabled.

The vice-premier spoke highly of the volunteers for their outstanding contributions in helping the disabled and promoting humanitarianism.

China now has 60 million disabled people. They urgently need help to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests and to participate in all sectors of the society, Li said.

Ismail Amat, state councilor and head of a State Council committee in charge of work for the disabled, said at the meeting that China should set up an incentive system to encourage more people to volunteer time and services to the disabled community.

According to Deng Pufang, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, nearly one million volunteer groups have been formed across the country to aid the disabled and a positive attitude toward helping the disabled has taken root among volunteers. At today's meeting, 42 advanced volunteering units and 67 individual volunteers were cited for their outstanding contributions.



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