(ECNS) -- As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games lowered the curtain on Sunday evening, the Chinese team secured a decisive first place, with 94 gold, 76 silver, and 50 bronze medals. China has ranked first in both gold medals and total medals for six consecutive Paralympic Games.
China first participated in the Paralympics in 1984, while this was its 11th appearance. Starting from the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, the Chinese team has consistently held the top position in both gold and total medals.
Its Paralympic glory reflects the country’s achievements in enhancing the lives of physically disabled people.
China has lifted 7.1 million disabled people out of poverty as scheduled while a total of 26 million disabled people benefited from living allowances and nursing subsidies during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), according to China’s State Council.
The proportion of disabled children and teenagers receiving compulsory education reached 95 percent, and over 50,000 disabled students entered higher education institutions during the same period, further data revealed.
As of the end of 2022, more than 27.617 million disabled people were enrolled in basic pension insurance for urban and rural residents, at a rate exceeding 90 percent, data from China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) showed.
By December 2023, China Foundation for Disabled Persons (CFDP) had raised nearly 9 billion yuan ($1.26 billion) in donations and supplies and implemented over 1,000 public welfare projects, benefiting over 20 million disabled individuals, China News Network learned at a hiking activity on China’s 34th national day for assisting disabled persons, which fell on May 19, 2024.
Several examples of technological innovation used to assist persons with disabilities were displayed at a press conference on the 34th national day of assisting disabled persons held by the CDPF, including AI exoskeleton robots for physical rehabilitation, brain technologies to improve functional impairments, and intelligent speech-to-text technology for hearing-impaired individuals.
Moreover, Chinese government has issued policies to support disabled people’s life.
A report on China’s fiscal policy in the first half of 2024 published by the Ministry of Finance shows 3.836 billion yuan was allocated to support the development of people with physically disabled People.
Of the fund, the general public budget was used for rehabilitation, training of practical skills, and other assistance for disabled individuals aged above seven; The central government's public welfare lottery fund supported items including early intervention pilot projects and the financial assistance for education for disabled children aged below six.
CFDP chairman Long Mo said that with the development of the social economy, disabled people’s living conditions have improved significantly, and assistance has shifted from basic needs such as food and housing to higher-level needs such as rehabilitation, education, employment, and their participation in cultural and sports activities.
Since 2011, the national fitness week for disabled persons has been held across China. Local disabled persons’ federations have organized fitness activities such as wheelchair dancing, darts, jump rope, and blind football. Events including the wheelchair marathon for people with limb impairments have become brand events at national level.
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