Para-games show commitment to inclusion

The 2025 National Paralympic Games and National Special Olympic Games are now underway in the Guangdong province and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. The opening ceremony originally planned for Dec 8 was cancelled after "comprehensive consideration of all factors", according to the organizers. A simplified closing event will be held after the competitions end on Dec 15.

The cancellation was probably due to the devastating fire in Hong Kong that led to at least 150 casualties and left hundreds of families homeless. I fully understand and support the decision and hope the relevant authorities in Hong Kong can concentrate on their investigations and bring those responsible to justice.

Though there was no opening ceremony, the Games are set to make history. It is the first time that such an event is being co-hosted by the three regions in the Greater Bay Area. Also, with nearly 10,000 participants competing in 46 sports events, the Games are poised to set a record not only for scale, but also, very likely, for performance.

Even though this is only a national event, it could well turn into a world record-breaking feast. Chinese athletes have topped the medal tally at the past six Paralympic Games. At the Paris Paralympic Games last year, China bagged 94 gold, 76 silver and 50 bronze medals.

Behind these spectacular achievements are the Chinese government's efforts to encourage people with physical and intellectual disabilities to unlock their potential and become equal members of society. Across China, para-sports meets are regularly held every year or so. Most of the participants competing in the ongoing Games have emerged from such local competitions.

The government has also invested heavily in providing the best possible training facilities for the athletes. I once visited a sports training base for athletes with disabilities on the outskirts of Beijing. Run by the China Disabled Persons' Federation, it was a world-class facility with swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, a track and field ground and fully equipped dormitories and dining halls. In short, it offered all the facilities that a professional athlete would need in a training base.

As spectators, we do not come to merely see records being broken and applaud the victors. We come to witness disabled athletes showcase their courage and determination. I was once moved to tears when I saw an armless swimmer touch the finishing line by hitting the wall with his head. Winners or losers, all participants of the Games have gone a long way to reach the present level and are therefore worthy of our applause.

These Games have been designed not only to test the abilities of the athletes but also to broaden the public understanding of disability and reinforce the country's enduring commitment to inclusion. The National People's Congress, the country's legislature, passed the law on the protection of disabled persons in 1990. The law has been revised twice since then, each amendment strengthening the support to the vulnerable group's rightful participation in social activities as well as sharing the fruits of development.

Data from the China Disabled Persons' Federation show that there are 85 million Chinese with different disabilities. Among them, 9.14 million have jobs, including 512,000 jobs created last year. Of the total, 27.5 million people have joined social insurance of different kinds while 12.46 million retired people are living on pension. The country also has special protecting policies such as subsidizing low-income families with disabled persons and lower or no tax for disabled persons who run small businesses.

Despite all these efforts, China still has a long way to go to ensure that people with disabilities better share the benefits of development and to stamp out public prejudice against this vulnerable group.

A job means a lot, if not everything, to a disabled person. However, even though governments at different levels require that a certain percentage of jobs are reserved for people with disabilities, it is difficult for them to find employment. Many companies have a basic minimum requirement of senior high school education for most jobs. Since more than half the disabled people have no more than primary education, they are flatly shut out of such companies.

Laws and regulations that protect the rights of disabled persons should be fully implemented with stricter checks. A more friendly social environment should be nurtured, better education opportunities should be provided and more skills training should be offered to the disabled.

I have no doubt that the Games in the Great Bay Area will give a big boost to the noble cause of protecting the rights of people with disabilities.

The author is former deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily.