A forum on the development of China's cause of the disabled was held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 28, on the theme of "Promoting the Comprehensive Development of the Cause of the Disabled in Chinese Modernization".
Cheng Kai, president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), Wang Wenxu, vice governor of Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, Guan Xinping, president of China Disability Research Society, and Zhu Hui, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of Zhejiang University, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Li Dongmei, a member of the Leading Party Members Group and vice chairperson of the CDPF executive board.
A forum on the development of China's cause of the disabled is held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Oct 28, 2023. [Photo/cdpf.org.cn]
In his address, Cheng emphasized that the modernization of the cause of the disabled is an integral part of Chinese-style modernization. He outlined the key focus areas to advance the modernization of the cause of the disabled: embracing the values of equality, integration, and sharing; improving the institutional system for the disabled; improving the service system for the disabled that effectively connects supply and demand; and enhancing capabilities of the disabled through education, training and technological assistance.
Cheng expressed his hope that experts and scholars would contribute to the development of a theoretical system, a disciplinary system, and a discourse system for the cause of the disabled with Chinese characteristics for a new era. He encouraged them to engage with the disabled in communities and provide intellectual support for the development of policy, system, and service for the cause of the disabled.
The forum, drawing over 300 participants, featured eight keynote speeches by experts and scholars, held a seminar on the high-tech empowerment of persons with disabilities, and organized seven sub-forums on topics such as the modernization of the cause of the disabled, social security and care services for the disabled, lifelong support for autism, creating a healthy environment for and promoting the health of the disabled, building a high-quality inclusive education system, practices for the common prosperity of disabled persons, and employment and vocational education for persons with disabilities.
Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Health Commission, as well as those from disabled persons' federations at all levels, and experts and scholars from nearly 100 universities and research institutes, including Peking University and Zhejiang University, along with representatives from high-tech companies like Tencent and Alibaba, attended the forum.
The forum was jointly organized by the China Disabled Persons' Federation, Zhejiang University, and China Disability Research Society.