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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Lyu Yansong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)

Wang Meimei, vice president of the executive board of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF)

Liu Guoyong, vice minister of the General Administration of Sports of China

Guo Liqun, spokesperson of the CDPF

Chairperson:

Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and SCIO spokesperson

Date: 

March 3, 2022

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, the SCIO issued a white paper titled "China's Parasports: Progress and the Protection of Rights," which we will now introduce and interpret for you. At this press conference, we are joined by Mr. Lyu Yansong, vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC); Ms. Wang Meimei, vice president of the executive board of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF); Mr. Liu Guoyong, vice minister of the General Administration of Sports of China; and Mr. Guo Liqun, spokesperson of the CDPF.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Lyu to introduce the white paper.

Lyu Yansong:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the wellbeing of the 85 million people with disabilities in China. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has incorporated the cause of people with disabilities into the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy. As a result, the rights and interests of people with disabilities have been better protected, and the goals of equality, participation and sharing have been improved. People with disabilities have an increasingly stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.

The "China's Parasports: Progress and the Protection of Rights" white paper, issued by the SCIO today, is also the first white paper in China on the development of parasports.

China has made historic achievements in developing rehabilitation, fitness activities and athletics for people with disabilities, promoting their equal participation in society, and ensuring their right to share in the fruits of the country's development. Developing parasports is an effective way to help people with disabilities improve their physical fitness, pursue physical and mental rehabilitation, participate in social activities, and achieve all-round development. It also provides a special opportunity for the public to better understand the potential and value of disabled people, and promote social harmony and progress. In addition, developing parasports is of great importance in ensuring that people with disabilities can enjoy equal rights, integrate readily into society, and share the fruits of economic and social progress.

The white paper consists of a preamble, main body and conclusion. The main body is divided into five parts, titled "Parasports Have Progressed Through National Development," "Physical Activities for Persons with Disabilities Have Flourished," "Performances in Parasports Are Improving Steadily," "Contributing to International Parasports" and "Achievements in Parasports Reflect Improvements in China's Human Rights." From these five aspects, it is clear to us that parasports are a mirror reflecting the living standards and human rights of people with disabilities. China guarantees their economic, political, social and cultural rights, laying a solid foundation for them to participate in sports, be active in other fields, and achieve all-round development.

First, parasports have progressed through national development. In the cause of socialist revolution and reconstruction, reform and opening-up, socialist modernization, and socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, along with making progress in the cause of people with disabilities, parasports have steadily developed and prospered, embarking on a path which has distinct Chinese features and respects the trends of the times. After the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), parasports have been gradually launched in the country. Parasports saw rapid progress following China's reform and opening-up and witnessed historic achievements in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important proposals and instructions regarding the causes of people with disabilities and parasports, chartering the course for future development. China has incorporated programs for people with disabilities into its overall national plans such as its national fitness program, the Healthy China initiative, and the program to build China's strength in sports. These demonstrate China's institutional strengths in promoting development of the cause of people with disabilities. Throughout the country, understanding, respect, care and help for people with disabilities are growing in strength. More and more people with disabilities are realizing their dreams and achieving remarkable improvements in their lives through sports. The courage, tenacity and resilience that people with disabilities show in pushing boundaries and forging ahead have inspired the whole nation and promoted social and cultural progress.

Second, physical activities for people with disabilities have flourished. At the community level, a variety of rehabilitation and fitness activities for people with disabilities have been organized, and adapted to local conditions in urban and rural areas. People with disabilities regularly participate in national parasports events, such as the National Special Olympics Day, Fitness Week for Persons with Disabilities, and Winter Sports Season for Persons with Disabilities. Every year since 2016, China has hosted a Winter Sports Season for Persons with Disabilities, providing them with a platform to participate in winter sports, and fulfilling the commitment to engage 300 million people in winter sports made during the bid to host Beijing 2022. China has launched a Self-improvement Fitness Project and a Sports Rehabilitation Care Plan to engage people with disabilities in rehabilitation and physical activities. Progress has also been made in parasports education and research. People with disabilities have also become more active in group rehabilitation and fitness activities.

Third, performances in parasports are improving steadily. In recent years, more and more athletes with disabilities have competed in sporting events both at home and abroad. They are willing to meet challenges, pursuing self-improvement, demonstrating an indomitable spirit, and fighting for wonderful and successful lives. Chinese para-athletes have made outstanding performances at major international sporting events. In nearly four decades of participating in international competitions, China's Paralympic delegation has ranked first in both gold medals and total medal count at the past five Paralympic Games. China also won its first-ever Winter Paralympics medal in Pyeongchang 2018, opening a new chapter in the country's participation in Paralympic Winter Games. The influence of national parasports events continues to grow, and China has trained a number of athletes with disabilities and improved their sports skills. Chinese athletes show growing strength in Winter Paralympic sports. From 2015 to 2021, the number of Winter Paralympic sports in China increased from two to six, so that all Winter Paralympic sports are now covered. The number of athletes increased from fewer than 50 to nearly 1,000, and mechanisms for athlete training and support are improving at the same time.

Fourth, China has contributed to the development of international parasports. The white paper systematically explains how China successfully hosted the Being 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, the Sixth Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, and the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Para Games, and made full preparations for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games and Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games. This has given a strong boost to the cause of the disabled in China and made an outstanding contribution to international parasports. China has made full preparations for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. China advances towards a global community of shared future, takes an active part in world parasports affairs, and is deeply engaged in international exchanges on parasports contributing to mutual learning through exchanges between civilizations.

Forth, achievements in parasports reflect improvements in China's human rights. The remarkable achievements of parasports in China reflect both the sportsmanship and sporting prowess of people with disabilities and China's progress in human rights. China adheres to a people-centered approach and promotes the physical and mental health of persons with disabilities. China upholds equality and integration for persons with disabilities in the national conditions. China attaches equal importance to all human rights to achieve all-round development for persons with disabilities. China encourages international cooperation and exchanges in parasports. The development of parasports accords with China's general development; it effectively responds to the needs of persons with disabilities and promotes their physical and mental health. Parasports are a vivid reflection of the development and progress of human rights in China.

Caring for persons with disabilities is a marker of social progress. Developing parasports is vital in encouraging persons with disabilities to build self-esteem, confidence, independence, and strength and pursue self-improvement. It carries forward the spirit of continuous self-renewal. It creates an atmosphere that encourages the whole of society to understand, respect, care for, and support people with disabilities and their causes. It encourages people to work together to promote the all-round development and common prosperity of people with disabilities. During the process of building China into a modern socialist country in all respects, China will take concrete measures to respect and protect the rights and interests of people with disabilities, including the right to participate in sports, to promote the cause of persons with disabilities and meet their expectations for a better life.

Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Lyu, for your introduction. Let's move on to the question-and-answer session. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking a question.

China Media Group:

You mentioned earlier that this is the first time China has issued a white paper on the development of sports for people with disabilities. How do you see the relationship between respecting and safeguarding human rights and sports for people with disabilities?

Lyu Yansong:

General Secretary Xi Jinping made important remarks while presiding over the 37th group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on China's position, perspective and the development path on human rights in a holistic and systematic way. He emphasized making further efforts to understand the importance and urgency of human rights work, unswervingly adhering to China's path of human rights development, paying more attention to respecting and safeguarding human rights, and better advancing the development of China's human rights cause. Xi said that the role of groups and organizations should be given full play to better protect the rights and interests of women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Both respecting and safeguarding human rights will not be left behind. Protecting the rights and interests of people with disabilities and developing their cause, including sports, are an important part of the cause of human rights in China. Parasports on the rise mark the cause of people with disabilities in China moving up a notch and a vivid reflection of progress in China's human rights philosophy and practice.

We uphold the Party's leadership and the socialist system, ensure people's position as masters of the country, ensure people fairly share human rights and promote the all-round development of human rights. To provide better protection to persons with disabilities, we have formed a support system in which Party committees exercise leadership, the government assumes responsibility, the public gets involved, and organizations of people with disabilities play their full role. Party committees and governments at all levels should shoulder the responsibility of developing the cause of people with disabilities, incorporate programs for disabled people into their various undertakings, continue to improve the system of safeguarding rights and interests of people with disabilities to fulfill and protect the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people, including people with disabilities.

We uphold and respect the primacy of the people and stimulate their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity, which engages them to become the main contributors, promoters, and beneficiaries of the development of the cause of human rights. China promotes the development of parasports, upholds the combination of improving the well-being of people with disabilities and building up their strength, focuses on respecting and protecting the personal rights and dignity of people with disabilities, respects their will, and pushes them to become real subjects of rights, to ensure their equal status and give them the equal opportunity to participate in social life and enjoy the fruits of the country's material and cultural progress.

We insist on a combination of the principle of human rights' universality and the nation's actual conditions. Acting based on China's actual conditions and people's demands, China has facilitated the progress of human rights, ensured its people enjoy extensive and substantive human rights. The Party and the government have rolled out a series of major measures to develop the cause of people with disabilities and improve their conditions, promoted the parasports and scored historical achievements. The goals of equality, participation and sharing have drawn closer.

China firmly believes that the rights to subsistence and development are the primary and basic human rights, treats people's wellbeing as the primary human right, and fully and faithfully implements the new development philosophy to protect the rights and interests of people with disabilities through development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has set up a special welfare system covering tens of millions of people with disabilities. Persons with disabilities from poor households in rural areas, numbering in the millions, have become a focus in the final fight against poverty. The parasports development has been included in China's national strategies of Fitness-for-All, Healthy China initiative, and Building China into a Country Strong in Sports. The supply of basic public services for persons with disabilities has been improved, and the goal of "building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, leaving no one behind, including persons with disabilities,” was achieved. More and more people with disabilities have received better education, found jobs or started their businesses, and participated in social life on an equal footing. Therefore, their sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security continues to grow.

We safeguard human rights in accordance with the law, adhere to the principles of equality before the law, insist that respecting and protecting human rights should be strengthened to fully cover the whole process of legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and enhance role of the rule of law in protecting human rights. China's legal and regulatory system for protecting the rights and interests of people with disabilities has been set up with the Constitution as the core and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities as the backbone. It is backed up by the Regulations on the Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Regulations on Education for the Disabled, Regulations on Employment for the Disabled, and Regulations on Building an Accessible Environment.

We actively participate in global human rights governance, enhance common values of humanity, practice genuine multilateralism, and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind. China fulfills its responsibilities and obligations as a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and promotes the international cause of persons with disabilities. Regarding parasports as a significant part of international exchanges among the disabled, China has vigorously boosted regional and global sports development for persons with disabilities. Thank you.

Phoenix TV:

The recent Beijing Olympic Winter Games showed us the charm of winter sports. Could you brief us on China's development of winter parasports and the participation of persons with disabilities in winter sports? Thank you.

Wang Meimei:

China pays great attention to winter parasports. We have taken multiple measures to encourage more persons with disabilities to participate in winter sports in recent years. As a result, especially after China's successful bid for the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, more and more persons with disabilities took part in and enjoyed the charm of winter sports.

First, although winter Paralympic sports began late in China, they grew quickly in recent years. Before 2015, China only developed Paralympic cross-country skiing and wheelchair curling among six Winter Paralympic sports. In 2002, China participated in the Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City of the U.S. In the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, 10 Chinese athletes took part in 2 sports and 6 events, and the wheelchair curling team finished fourth, which was the best ever result for the Chinese winter Paralympic team. In the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Winter Games, Chinese athletes won gold in wheelchair curling, marking China's first medal in Winter Paralympics.

Second, China's successful bid for the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games has generated great opportunities to develop its Winter Paralympic sports. In July 2015, together with Zhangjiakou, Beijing won the bid to host the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which created major development opportunities for China's winter parasports. Thanks to unremitting efforts during the past few years, China's winter Paralympic sports have made great progress. From 2015 to 2021, the number of Winter Paralympic sports in China increased from 2 to 6, so all Winter Paralympic sports are now covered. In addition, the number of athletes increased from fewer than 50 to nearly 1,000. Since 2018, annual national competitions for sporting events in Winter Paralympics have been held. All the six Winter Paralympic sports - alpine skiing, the biathlon, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, and wheelchair curling - have been included in the National Games for Persons with Disabilities. Since 2016, Chinese parasports athletes have participated in international events related to the Winter Paralympic Games, accumulating experience and improving their capabilities. In the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, 96 Chinese athletes will take part in all 6 sports and 73 events. Compared with the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, the number of athletes will increase by 86, the number of sports by 4, and the number of events by 67.

Third, taking the Winter Paralympics as an opportunity, China's winter parasports rise. China's successful bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games allowed persons with disabilities to feel the charm of winter sports. Since 2016, China has hosted Winter Sports Seasons for Persons with Disabilities for 6 consecutive years, providing them with a platform to participate in winter sports and fulfilling the Beijing 2022 bid commitment of engaging 300 million people in winter sports. The scale of participation has expanded from 14 provincial-level units in the first Winter Sports Season to 31 provinces and equivalent administrative units. Various winter parasports activities suited to local conditions have been held, allowing participants to experience Paralympic Winter Games events and participate in mass-participation winter sports, winter rehabilitation and fitness training camps, and ice and snow festivals. A variety of winter sports for mass participation have been created and promoted, such as mini skiing, dryland skiing, dryland curling, ice cuju (a traditional Chinese game of competing for a ball on the ice rink), skating, sledding, sleighing, ice bikes, snow football, and ice dragon boating. These novel and fun sports have proved very popular among persons with disabilities. In addition, the promulgation of materials such as A Guidebook on Winter Sports and Fitness Programs for Persons with Disabilities provides services and support for persons with disabilities to participate in winter sports and fitness.

Khabar 24:

Besides parasports, how will the Chinese government ensure a barrier-free environment in the everyday life, education and employment of persons with disabilities? What will you do over the next few years? Thank you.

Guo Liqun:

Thanks for your question. The Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities. Therefore, it strengthens the building of an accessible environment in all aspects to provide a convenient environment for them to live, study and work.

First, we strengthened legal construction for an accessible environment. China has set up a legal system based on the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, with the Regulations on Building an Accessible Environment as the backbone, and supplemented by local laws and government regulations. This system provides a fundamental legal enforcement basis for constructing, managing, and supervising an accessible environment.

Second, we included building an accessible environment in the country's overall economic and social development plans and its relevant specialized plans. Creating an accessible environment is strengthened in the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, Vision 2035, and a batch of specialized plans focusing on protecting and developing persons with disabilities, improving elderly life, and boosting informatization, tourism and transportation. It is also underlined in the National Human Rights Action Plan, which clarifies China's human rights commitments and fulfills the relevant requirements of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In addition, central departments issued a series of policies and measures to promote accessible environment construction, significantly improving its level.

Third, we promoted accessible environment construction in all aspects and continued to increase the coverage of accessible facilities.

The first is to ensure that newly-built (renovated or expanded) roads, buildings, and residential areas in urban and rural areas are equipped with barrier-free facilities, and increase the barrier-free renovations of existing facilities. 81% of the entrances and exits, 56% of the service counters, and 38% of the toilets among comprehensive service facilities in villages (communities) nationwide have been upgraded for barrier-free access. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, home adaptation was carried out for 650,000 registered families with severely disabled members, helping them shake off poverty and improve the quality of their life.

The second is to create a barrier-free travel and service environment. The Chinese government continues to strengthen building and upgrading of accessible transport infrastructure, so as to create a barrier-free travel environment. It promotes the application of barrier-free passenger vehicles across the country; 3,598 trains have reserved seats for the disabled; public transport vehicles have special seats for the elderly, the infirm, the sick, and the disabled, and have adopted low-floor buses and barrier-free taxis; and city buses are equipped with visual and audio announcement systems.

The third is to comprehensively promote information accessibility. China strives to solve the difficulties encountered by special groups such as the elderly and the disabled when using intelligent technologies such as the internet, increase the supply of accessible terminal products, push forward the promotion and application of barrier-free products and service technologies, broaden the channels for persons with disabilities to participate in the information society, promote the application of information technology to foster an accessible environment,, and work hard to bridge the "digital divide" to help the disabled enjoy the digital life.

The fourth is to actively promote the construction of a barrier-free environment on campuses and at workplaces. The Chinese government vigorously promotes inclusive education, strengthens the construction and installment of accessible facilities and equipment in schools, and provides relevant supporting services and adequate convenience for students with disabilities to study and live in schools. We have fully guaranteed the employment rights and interests of the disabled; encouraged Party and government organs, public institutions, and state-owned enterprises to take the lead in helping the disabled find jobs; and required employers to improve accessibility of workplaces and provided adequate support for people with disabilities, so as to create necessary labor security conditions for the disabled to find employment.

In the future, the Chinese government will actively implement the requirements of the implementation plan for barrier-free environment construction during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and related regulations and policies, accelerate legislation on the construction of barrier-free environment, implement the working mechanism, improve the policy and standard system, and enhance accessibility of urban and rural infrastructure. It will carry out home adaptation for 1.1 million households with disabled members in financial difficulty and severely disabled members, vigorously promote information accessibility, and further raise the accessibility awareness of the whole society. The government will speed up the building of an accessible environment with complete facilities, complete functions, smooth information, and comfortable experience so as to better facilitate work, life, and study of the disabled, and promote their all-round development and shared prosperity.

Thank you.

People's Daily:

How does the General Administration of Sport of China (GAS) coordinate the development of parasports in the process of implementing national strategies such as the Fitness-for-All initiative, and Building China into a Country Strong in Sports? Thank you.

Liu Guoyong:

Thank you. As you know, sports for the disabled are an important part of the cause of people with disabilities, and it is also an important part of the sound development of our sports. The Party and the state have always attached great importance to sports for the disabled, and especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has given top priority to the development of sports, including sports for the disabled, and has made a series of new arrangements for sports from the perspective of national strategy, and put forward a series of new requirements. We believe that in order to implement the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, it is very important to strengthen top-level design, especially to strengthen policy guarantees for people with disabilities to participate in sports activities. The "Regulations on the Nationwide Fitness Program" stipulates that "citizens have the right to participate in fitness-for-all activities in accordance with the law,” which clarifies that participation in fitness-for-all activities for all citizens, including people with disabilities, is a basic right that must be ensured. The "National Fitness Plan (2021-2025)" proposes: "support the holding of various sports events for the disabled, and carry out sports and fitness activities involving both the disabled and those in good health,” and further "improve accessibility of public fitness facilities, and carry out rehabilitation and fitness activities for the disabled.” Meanwhile, the "Outline for Building a Leading Sports Nation" proposed: "promote the extensive development of rehabilitation sports and fitness sports for the disabled,” and the "14th Five-Year Plan for Sports Development" proposed to "further improve national fitness public services for the elderly, professional groups, and the disabled."

The GAS and the CDPF have jointly issued the notice on printing and distributing the implementation plan for the development of parasports during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and the guiding opinions on further developing rehabilitation and fitness sports for persons with disabilities, which incorporate the rehabilitation and physical fitness of the disabled into the whole process of national fitness work, so as to guarantee the disabled people's equal right to enjoy sports, realize equal access to basic public services in sports, and further enhance the disabled people's sense of gains and happiness. We believe that with these laws and regulations and the support of relevant policies, governments at all levels will have the basis for exercising law-based administration and the sports sector can also strengthen supervision according to these laws, regulations, and policies so that the disabled people can enjoy a healthier and happier life.

Thecover.cn:

Why should we vigorously develop parasports, and what is the significance and value of doing so? Thank you.

Wang Meimei:

Thank you for your question. First of all, sports are an important way for disabled people to keep fit. Physical activities can promote the healthy development of the body's movement, nerves, circulation, respiration, and digestion, as well as the endocrine, immunity, urinary, and other systems, and make our bodies stronger. By participating in various forms of sports activities, disabled people can also enhance their physical fitness, improve their physical functions, and facilitate their physical and mental health. Therefore, we have adopted various measures to encourage disabled people to actively participate in public sports and competitive sports.

Secondly, sports are an important means to promote the rehabilitation of the disabled. According to the national standard of "Classification and Grading Criteria of Disability,” Persons with disabilities in China include those who have visual, auditory, speech, physical, intellectual, or mental impairments, as well as those with multiple disabilities, while each type of disability is divided into four levels based on the degree of disability. Disabled persons with different types and degrees of disabilities suffer from corresponding physical and mental impairments. Through different rehabilitation methods, the functional impairments may be alleviated or even eliminated, and sports are an effective means of rehabilitation. Through targeted sports activities, the disabled people can build up fitness, enhance capacity to self-support, and improve the quality of life.

Third, sports are an important path for persons with disabilities to

integrate into society. By participating in sports, people with disabilities are encouraged to go out, pursue interests and hobbies, increase their social contact, and enrich their lives. The public is also able to have a better understanding of people with disabilities through their participation and demonstration in sports activities. Assisting persons with disabilities to integrate better into society is an important symbol of the progress of social civilization, and is also a significant goal of the cause of the people with disabilities.

Fourth, sports are an important part of human rights protection for persons with disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities explicitly requires the signatories to take appropriate measures in order to encourage and promote the participation of persons with disabilities in various sports activities. The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities and other laws and regulations contain specific provisions to ensure persons with disabilities can participate in sports activities. Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities in sports is an essential requirement for fulfilling the obligations of the UN's Convention and implementing the provisions of Chinese laws and regulations. And it is also a concrete manifestation of China's protection of human rights. Therefore, we should encourage persons with disabilities to fully participate in sports activities, continuously develop their potential, show a spirit of self-improvement and an optimistic and enterprising spirit, and demonstrate the basic freedom, dignity, value, and power of mankind.

In practice, especially after the majority of persons with disabilities have achieved poverty alleviation and prosperity, they have a stronger demand for cultural life, including sports activities. Participation in sports has become an indispensable part of a better life for persons with disabilities, and more have been enjoying the joy brought by sports.

Thank you.

Southern Metropolitan Daily:

We were deeply impressed by the extraordinary results of Chinese athletes at the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo last year. Could you brief us a little about what outstanding achievements China has made in the field of competitive sports for persons with disabilities? Thank you.

Wang Meimei:

Thank you for your question. I'll answer this. We all know that the Chinese parasports athletes have given outstanding performances at major international sporting events. In 1984, the Chinese Paralympic delegation made its debut at the Seventh Summer Paralympic in New York, USA, for the first time, and they won their first ever Paralympic gold medal. Since then, there has been an upsurge of enthusiasm for sports among people with disabilities, and at the following Summer Paralympics, Team China's performance showed a marked improvement. In 2004, at the Summer Paralympics in Athens, the Chinese delegation ranked first in both medals and golds won. In 2021, at the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Team China topped both the gold medal tally and the overall medal standings for the fifth consecutive time. At the same time, since 1987, Chinese athletes with intellectual disabilities have participated in nine Special Olympics World Summer Games and seven Special Olympics World Winter Games. In 1989, Chinese deaf athletes made their international debut at the 16th World Games for the Deaf. Meanwhile, Team China performed very well in the Asian Para Games. During the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020), China sent delegations of parasports athletes to participate in 160 international sporting events and won a total of 1,114 gold medals.

National sports events are also wonderful. Since China organized its first National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGPD) in 1984, 11 such events have been held, with the number of sports increasing from three – Athletics, Swimming and Table Tennis – to 34. Since the third games in 1992, the NGPD has been listed as a large-scale sporting event ratified by the State Council and held once every four years. This confirms the institutionalization and standardization of parasports in China. In 2019, Tianjin hosted the 10th NGPD (together with the Seventh National Special Olympic Games) and the National Games of China. This made the city the first to host both the NGPD and the National Games of China. In 2021, Shaanxi hosted the 11th NGPD (together with the Eighth National Special Olympic Games) and the National Games of China. It was the first time that the NGPD had been held in the same city and during the same year as the National Games of China. This allowed synchronized planning and implementation and both games were equally successful.

Para-athletes train hard, challenge the limits, forge ahead, and have the courage to win – the keys to achieving extraordinary results. In the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Summer Games, Team China won 96 gold medals, 60 silver medals, 51 bronze medals, and broke 29 world records. This not only represents outstanding performance but also the Chinese spirit displayed by Team China in the international arena. This spirit is the noble spirit of patriotism, unyielding national spirit, the collective spirit of unity, and the spirit of optimism. It is a source of strength and spiritual support for our athletes and coaches to overcome their difficulties.

China's achievements in competitive sports for persons with disabilities are the result of the dedication of many unsung heroes. The decades of perseverance and hard work of several generations of sports workers for persons with disabilities in China have laid the foundation for the great development of these sports. Among these workers, there are coaches, research teams, and staff, of high professional level, and full of love and selfless dedication. And there are also the para-athletes guides and other assistants who have accompanied the para-athletes all year around. These people are the unsung heroes behind our outstanding results. They have helped para-athletes in their training and competitions, grown with them, and ensured that every athlete is in the best condition to achieve the best result in competition.

China's sports cause for persons with disabilities has been developed in the course of opening up. We would like to express our honest thanks to our international counterparts for their sincere help.

China Daily:

The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games is just around the corner. Could you tell us a little about the current preparation status of the Chinese delegation? What expectations do we have for this Paralympic Winter Games? Thank you.

Wang Meimei:

The para ice hockey, para-alpine skiing, para snowboarding, para cross-country skiing, and para biathlon teams of the Chinese delegation for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games checked in into the Paralympic villages in Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou, respectively, on February 25. And the wheelchair curling team checked into the Beijing Paralympic village on March 2.

Currently, the athletes in the villages have been training before their competitions, which mainly includes adapting to the venues, getting familiar with the competition streamline, improving the competition plan, and adjusting their psychological state. They are looking forward to the upcoming Games.

Compared with summer Paralympic sports, winter Paralympic sports in China got off to a later start, have a relatively weak foundation and are still improving. At the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, which was held before Beijing's bid to host the Winter Games, China only had 10 athletes participating in two sports and six events. This time, a total of 96 athletes from China are taking part in all six sports and 73 events. Our objectives are:

First, to demonstrate to the world the spirit of perseverance of Chinese people with disabilities in the new era. Paralympians are focused on displaying their spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping has highly praised the indomitable and hard-working spirit of China's para-athletes. Even though the competitiveness of China's Paralympians is still improving, their spirit in seeking to meet challenges and pursue self-improvement will undoubtedly inspire us to fully demonstrate their sound spirit.

Second, to present China's achievements in developing winter Paralympic sports. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made several important instructions for the preparatory work of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Following the important instructions, the CDPF considered the preparation and competition as a major political task, set up a leading group for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games to guide the preparatory work for the Game. Through six years of concerted efforts of the disabled persons' federations at all levels across the country, we achieved fundamental breakthroughs in our Paralympic winter sports. This year marks China's sixth participation in the Winter Paralympics, featuring its largest-ever delegation and highest-ever number of athletes, who are participating in more categories of sports and events at the Games than ever before.

Third, to strive to achieve good results and win honors for the country. On Feb. 24, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote a reply to Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming. The Chinese delegation organized its members to study the guiding spirit of the letter in the first place and was determined to follow the spirit to act on the pledge of "keeping the mission in mind and striving together," and to work hard and transcend the self to achieve excellent results and achieve glory for the country.

Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

Just now it was mentioned that equal participation in sports represents an important right for people with disabilities. Can you elaborate on how China has safeguarded equal participation for people with disabilities in sports by law? Thank you.

Lyu Yansong:

First, China has not only included parasports in its national fitness program, Healthy China initiative, and program to build China's strength in sports, but also strengthened equal protection and special assistance for the rights and interests of people with disabilities through legislation, confirming their specific right to participate in sports. Among the regulations, articles 41 to 45 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities stipulates the concrete measures that the government and society should take to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy rights related to culture and sports. Article 16 of the Law on Physical Culture and Sports stipulates that the whole of society should care for people with disabilities and support their participation in sports. All levels of government should take measures to ensure people with disabilities have better access to sporting events. Article 45 also stipulates that public sports facilities should make it convenient for people to conduct sports activities and implement preferential measures for people with disabilities.

Second, the Chinese government has actively promoted the construction of barrier-free environments, and effectively guaranteed the equal participation of people with disabilities in all sports activities. For example, in 2019, Beijing launched a special program to foster a barrier-free environment, focusing on 17 major tasks in key areas such as urban roads, public transport, public service venues, and information exchange. A total of 336,000 facilities and sites have been modified, realizing basic accessibility in the core area of the capital city, making its barrier-free environment more standardized, accommodating and systemic. Zhangjiakou has also actively nurtured a barrier-free environment, leading to a significant improvement in accessibility.

Third, China has continuously improved its public sports service system and vigorously promoted the equal participation of people with disabilities in rich and colorful sports and cultural activities. Both the Law on Guaranteeing Public Cultural Services and the Regulations on the Nationwide Fitness Program require corresponding cultural and sport services be provided according to the physical and mental characteristics and needs of people with disabilities. In the efforts to implement the national fitness program, governments at all levels have innovated service methods and launched extensive rehabilitation and fitness activities for people with disabilities at the grassroots level. To improve the sport service ability, local regions have also established sport instructor teams for people with disabilities, so as to effectively guarantee the right of people with disabilities to enjoy basic public sport services. Thank you.

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.