Chinese leader promises "rich legacy" from Paralympics (News Feature)

By Bill Smith Sep 6, 2008, 11:09 GMT

Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday promised that the 2008 Paralympic Games will leave a 'rich legacy' in sports for people with disabilities, ahead of a lavish opening ceremony at Beijing's iconic Bird's Nest stadium.

'Over 4,000 athletes from more than 140 countries and regions will participate in the Beijing Paralympic Games,' Hu said at a lunch for state leaders and other top officials attending the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on Saturday night.

'This fully demonstrates the global care and support for sports for people with a disability,' Hu said in his speech.

'I believe that the Beijing Paralympic Games will provide an opportunity for people with a disability from all over the world to deepen mutual understanding and friendship, and will leave a rich legacy to the development of sports for people with a disability,' he said.

China officially has some 83 million people with disabilities but only began formal social care for them in the 1980s.

Much credit for putting disability issues higher on the government's agenda should go to Deng Pufang, the disabled son of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, the China Daily newspaper on Friday quoted Lee Man-ban, chairman of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, as saying.

'In almost in every country or region, the cause of the disabled would make great progress when a high-ranking official experienced disabilities personally or through a family member,' Lee was quoted as saying.

Deng's legs were paralysed after he was thrown from a window during the chaotic fighting within China's ruling Communist Party in the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution.

He set up the China Welfare Fund for the Disabled in 1984 and the China Disabled Persons' Federation, which he still heads, in 1988.

Deng also took a lead a role in a 1987 national survey which estimated the number of people with disabilities in China at between 50 million and 60 million.

'The survey made the government realize how important it is to rehabilitate the disabled,' the newspaper quoted Lee as saying.

State media this week said people with disabilities among Beijing's 15 million residents and in some other cities would enjoy long-term benefits from the Paralympics.

All of Beijing's 123 underground stations now have at least one entrance equipped with a wheelchair lift, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Many more buses, public toilets, parks, tourist sites, airports, banks and post offices had installed facilities for people with disabilities over the seven years of preparation for the Paralympics, the agency said.

'We plan to help all households with disabled members in Beijing modify their residences before the end of 2010,' it quoted Beijing Vice Mayor Ding Xiangyang as saying, adding that about 5,000 families had already received grants.

In his speech on Saturday, Hu said caring for people with disabilities was an 'important hallmark of a civilized and progressive society'.

'We have adopted a range of policies and measures to encourage public care and support for people with a disability and actively promote their overall well-being,' he said.

'They have made outstanding contributions to economic and social development in China and earned the respect of the whole society,' Hu said.

Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), on Saturday praised Beijing's efforts and said he hoped they would continue after the games.

'The way the teams have been received, the speed of which they will be moved to potentially very tiring situation for a long flight is brilliant,' Craven told reporters.

'There going to be tremendous sports event and incredible opportunity for Paralympians to just show what they can do and how they can perform,' he said.

'They are very much equal to their Olympic peers.'

Organizers said all tickets were sold for events in the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube aquatics centre, but many remained available for other events.

Some 350,000 members of cheering squads have been recruited to help to improve the atmosphere at less popular events.

'I'm not going to tell you if it's going to be the best Games ever before the evening starts,' Craven said. 'But it will be fantastic.'