The State Council recently issued a circular to enhance support and subsidies for disabled people with improving public services. Premier Li Keqiang has pointed out at State Council executive meetings repeatedly that the government should expand assistance to more disabled people, set up welfare subsidies, strengthen vocational training and guaranteed education for disabled children.

The government must guarantee the life quality of disabled people and support them to live a better life!

--During a visit to a disabled merchant living in a shanty house in Chifeng of Inner Mongolia autonomous region on March 27, 2014

In February 2015, the State Council issued a circular to establish a basic guarantee system for disabled people. According to the document, various subsidies, basic pension and medical insurance will be in place, with preferential housing policies.

On Feb 11, 2015, Premier Li chaired an executive meeting on medical assistance for people suffering from serious illness, stressing that low-income seniors, juveniles, severely disabled people and patients with serious illness should be covered.

On Sept 6, 2015, the State Council decided to establish a subsidy system for poor and severely disabled people, a policy benefiting 10 million disabled people in hardship and 10 million with severe disability.

By the end of May 2016, 1.14 billion yuan ($172 million) and 990 million yuan ($149 million) had been allocated for disabled people living in poverty and seriously disabled people.

Help every eligible disabled person find jobs or start their own businesses.

--Premier Li’s instruction on July 11, 2015

In February 2015, the State Council issued a circular to help increase the incomes of disabled people through employment and entrepreneurship.

Premier Li said in July 2015 that more efforts should be made to strengthen vocational and skills training for disabled people, improve support policies in employment and entrepreneurship, and help bring disabled people in rural areas out of poverty.

According to a joint circular issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation in May 2015, by 2020, job-hunting disabled people should at least receive one pre-employment training, and those engaged in skilled jobs should receive more than one training on skills upgrading or advanced skills.

Disabled children should be treated the same as others, and receive a good education along with ordinary children.

--Premier’s instruction on special education in March 2014

A teleconference on national special education took place in Beijing in March 2014. The Premier made an instruction to the meeting, saying that work on special education has significant influences on guaranteeing the rights of disabled people to participate in social affairs, increase their well-being and promote social equality and justice.

Governments at all levels should pay great attention to the issue, give preferential treatment to special education and carefully implement an improvement plan for special education, urged the Premier.

China is committed to safeguarding the rights and interests of people with disabilities by improving the public service system and increasing products.

--Attending the opening ceremony of ASEM High-level Meeting on Disability & Global Conference on Assistive Devices and Technology in October 2015

The State Council in February 2015 released a guideline on improving public services for disabled people, increasing their education opportunities and creating a barrier-free environment for them.

In June 2016, the State Council issued a plan on a national fitness program, encouraging the disabled to get involved in fitness activities and promoting the integrated fitness development of all people. It also urged implementing preferential policies to promote the widespread use of physical therapy and fitness sports for disabled people.

Believe in the people caring for you, and that you would walk faster and better in the future.

--Visiting disabled children in physical therapy at the Bayi Children’s Hospital in Beijing on May 30, 2014

Premier Li chaired a State Council executive meeting on June 1, 2016, urging more care and help for children in need, especially disabled children.

Soon after the meeting, the State Council issued a guideline on reinforcing support for children in need, including medical and education support measures for disabled children.

It urged increasing the reimbursement rates for basic medical insurance and critical illness insurance for children who suffer from serious disease or are severely disabled. In addition, it vowed to provide 12 years of free education for disabled children from poor families and called for establishing a rehabilitation assistance system for physically disabled children or autistic children up to 6 years old, and gradually provide rehabilitation training service and free treatment for children.