White paper shows sports participation of people with disabilities amid China’s human rights protection

Wang Meng (R) of the Chinese national wheelchair curling team attends a training session ahead of the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 24, 2020.(Photo: Xinhua)

China on Thursday issued its first white paper on parasports, elaborating on the country's people with disabilities participating in public sports and competitive sports, as well as the welfare and supportive systems in place.

Parasports are a mirror that reflects the living standard and human rights situation of 85 million people with disabilities in China. China ensures the disabled enjoy rights in economic, political, social and cultural fields, laying a solid foundation for people with disabilities to participate in sports and social life and achieve comprehensive development, according to the white paper.

No one will be left behind in respecting and protecting human rights. Protecting the rights of people with disabilities and developing parasports are important parts of China's human rights protection cause. The parasports progress demonstrates development of China's human rights in theory as well as practice, Lü Yansong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said at a press conference held to launch the white paper on Thursday.

Combining the universal human rights principle with China's realities, the progress and historic achievements in parasports contributed to realizing "Equality, Participation and Sharing."

China has established a welfare system that covers people with disabilities, gives the disabled assistance in anti-poverty campaign, includes them in the National Fitness and Healthy China programs, and enhances public services for them, Lü said.

The country respects and ensures human rights in legislation and judicial procedures, using a series of laws and ordinances to protect rehabilitation, education and employment of people with disabilities, while having international exchanges in the field to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the official said.

According to the press conference, people with disabilities in China actively take part in public sports and benefit from the campaign that was aimed at involving 300 million people in winter sports. As for competitive sports, Team China has performed well for Summer Paralympics and other international parasports events, and topped the gold medal and medal lists for the fifth time during the Tokyo Summer Games.

The country's winter parasports has been developing quickly. In Sochi 2014, 10 athletes participated in six events in two sports. In comparison, for the Beijing 2022 Paralympics which will open on Friday, 96 Chinese athletes will take part in 73 events in all six sports.

In addition to parasports, China is establishing an entire system to ensure welfare of the disabled.

China included building barrier-free facilities into a national development plan. So far, 81 percent entrances and exits, 56 percent service counters, and 38 percent toilets of community or village service centers are barrier free. Some 650,000 households that have family members with disabilities were renovated to be barrier-free during the anti-poverty campaign, said Guo Liqun, spokesperson for China Disabled Persons' Federation.

For public transport, barrier-free vehicles are being promoted nationwide and 3,598 trains have specially designed seats for the disabled. City buses are equipped with screens and voice stop reminders, Guo said.