Chinese Vice-Premier Huang Ju on Monday called for policies and measures to help disabled people.

Delivering a speech at the ongoing congress of the country's national organization for the disabled, Huang described promoting undertakings for the disabled as a responsibility of the Party and the governments at all levels in China.

Huang, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, said disabled people in China, a community with special difficulties, are in great need of care and assistance.

Addressing the Fourth National Congress of China Disabled Persons' Federation, the vice-premier said new policies are needed to help the disabled overcome difficulties in rehabilitation, education, employment, welfare, and other areas so that the disabled would enjoy the China's progress.

He called for strict implementation of laws and regulations and a crackdown on all sorts of offenses violating the legitimate rights and interests of the disabled.

The vice-premier said the rights and interests of the disabled as citizens and their dignity should be protected.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has issued a similar call urging the Party and governments at all levels to help disabled people around the country, as part of efforts to build a more caring society.

In the preface to a book on renowned disabled people, Hu, also general secretary of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, called on the Party and governments at all levels to support undertakings designed to help the disabled.

All walks of society should continue to carry forward the humanitarian spirit and the fine traditions of understanding, respecting, caring for and helping the disabled in order to cultivate human relations of equality, love and mutual help and unity, Hu writes.

On progress China has made in recent years to help the disabled, Guo Jianmo, president of the Executive Council of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, told the meeting China has set up over 50,000 liaison centers for volunteers devoted to helping disabled people with the number of registered volunteers exceeding1.69 million.

Currently, over 1,500 disabled people are working either as deputies to the People's Congresses or as members of the committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the county level or above, Guo said.

An increasing number of disabled people who have become affluent are trying to help other disabled people who are poverty-stricken or suffering from financial difficulties, he said.

China has 60 million disabled people, about 84 percent of whom are employed. With the help of the government and all parties concerned, 4.99 million handicapped people who were regarded as suffering from great difficulties have had their worries about their basic needs relieved.

(People’s Daily September 9, 2003)