The Beijing News:
Parasports is an essential part of China's national fitness program. Therefore, I would like to invite the speaker of the General Administration of Sports of China to share what advancements have been made on public fitness services for persons with disabilities.
Liu Guoyong:
Thank you for your question. Mr. Lyu and Ms. Wang have elaborated on the importance for persons with disabilities to participate in sports activities. As you mentioned, as part of our efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities can be part of the national fitness program, we will improve the relevant public service system. From the perspective of sports, we should make efforts in the following three aspects to improve the national fitness public service system for persons with disabilities.
First, we will provide more accessible sports facilities. Second, we will organize more sports activities for persons with disabilities. Third, we will strengthen guidance for persons with disabilities when they participate in sports activities.
Regarding this, the General Administration of Sports of China has made efforts in the following aspects.
First, we have channeled central funds to promote the implementation of the Disability Support Project under the National Fitness Program at the local level. As we see, many communities have equipped with fitness facilities and trails. Now, the needs of persons with disabilities were also considered in our efforts to improve those sports facilities and trails. We have accelerated the implementation of regulations on barrier-free facilities design at various kinds of public fitness venues to enhance all fitness equipment and facilities for persons with disabilities. Additionally, we have encouraged relevant enterprises to research and develop fitness equipment and facilities customized for persons with disabilities and mobilized all social forces to provide public services for persons with disabilities. We have jointly issued the National Basic Public Service Standards for Mass Sports and the Basic Public Standards for Public Sports Venues with relevant departments to provide a more suitable fitness environment for persons with disabilities.
Second, we have provided support and guidance for local sports authorities and parasports organizations to better serve persons with disabilities when they participate in sports activities. Only by organizing them to engage in more activities can they further integrate into society, better playing the role of fitness. Not only on the National Fitness Day but many other important occasions for parasports, we should never forget the essential right of persons with disabilities in participating in sports. Additionally, we have played a positive role in cooperating with the CDPF in international sports events over the last few years. We have provided more convenience and opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sports with the successful operation of a series of comprehensive sports events represented by the Paralympic Games, the Asian Paralympic Games, and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities.
Third, it's essential to have specialized personnel to instruct persons with disabilities to participate in sports activities. We have more than 2 million social sports instructors. In recent years, we have improved relevant teaching materials on training for persons with disabilities during the instructor training process, which has enabled the social sports instructors to better understand the characteristics and patterns of persons with disabilities when they engage in sports activities to effectively guide them to participate in sports, build up their body strength, and better integrate into society.
Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is with this concluded. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Lin Liyao, Liu Sitong, Zhang Rui, Zhang Junmian, Yan Xiaoqing, Wang Yanfang, Zhang Tingting, Zhou Jing, Qin Qi, Li Huiru, Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Yang Xi, Jay Birbeck, David Ball and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
