Zhang Haidi (3rd L), chairwoman of China Disabled Persons' Federation and Zhu Ling (2nd L), publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, attend the opening ceremony for the new website. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

The welfare of disabled people is a priority for China’s leadership, according to the current Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), which has set targets to promote their well-being.

By the end of last year, the country had 7,111 specialized facilities catering for the disabled, which provided services to about 7.5 million disabled people.

Peng Liyuan, China’s first lady, has also paid several visits to disabled children, the latest on May 15.

The federation, meanwhile, plans to improve disabled access this year through the promotion of barrier-free environments and universal design concepts.

Contact the writer at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn