Press conference: Care & rehabilitation Expo China 2008

Xu Xiaoming answers the question

Xu Xiaoming

For the assistive devices in China, there is a certain gap between us and the International standard. The products we have are comparatively low tech. We do not have enough self help and self reliance devices in day to day life. Those products might be quite small. But it has something to do not only with the industry but also with the concepts and notions. Facilities of accessibility are quite rare in China. Therefore in all those regards, there is a gap between us and others. With this Expo, we want it to be like that held in Tokyo. That is, we had it last year, and we are having it this year, and we will have it next year. But there are two enabling factors. First, enough business and investment must be attracted. Second, because it is serving the disabled and the elderly, the mass media plays a critical part in spreading the messages around. Our objective is to have it hosted every year. Maybe next year we are going to have another host city. Maybe we are going to alternate between Beijing and provincial cities for the Expo going forward. This year, we have over 100 domestic manufacturers at the Expo. And we provide a lot of preferential policies for them. Through this Expo, we are hopeful to shed more light on the industry on the manufacturing of these assistive devices so that there can be more investment in those sectors. For free access into the venue and Expo and free transportation, we have handed out a lot of free coupons on the morning of 11th to 3 p.m. of 13th. The Expo will be open from 10 am to 4pm. You can go to the entrance of the Expo. By filing out the form, you can get a free coupon whether you are a journalist, volunteer or a disabled person. There are different logos and signs for your identification. So that the manufacturers can provide tailor made introduction and some demonstrations showcasing for you. So far as the transportation is concerned, we do have free shuttle buses. As for the rehab centers for the disabled, we have fixed shuttle bus services starting form there. In case of other concentration points for the disabled person, the free shuttle buses can be provided on an appointment basis. This is a comprehensive answer.

Paralympic.beijing2008.cn

My question is for the care and rehab expo, how is it interacted with the course for the disabled in China?

You Hong answers the question

You Hong

The assistive devices and important means to serve the disabled persons and rehabilitation of them means the improvement of the functionality so that they can be integrated into the society as soon as possible. For the Care and Rehab Expo, it provides a platform of exchanges, interactions so that more people can come to knowledge about the devices and that more disabled persons will be able to know and use them. For the overall cause of rehabilitation for the disabled, it will service as the major catalyst in the following senses. First, it can enhance information sharing in this regards. With the introduction of those devices into the families with persons with disability, they will be able to learn some basics about how to use them and improve their functional capabilities so their chance of integration stands higher. And their burden of social security can be reduced and they can become more self determined, self confident and self reliant. Second, we have a constant role out of assistive devices in China despite its late debut and the lack of general public knowledge about it. The Expo will step up information sharing and even the public focus on this subject matter so that a greater impetus is given to his cause, and more services will become available for the disabled persons. For the rehabilitation, I do believe the Expo serves as the catalyst. According to our knowledge and information, in many hospitals and medical healthcare institutions, there is a lack of knowledge of those assistive devices for the disabled. With the exposition of those devices and information sharing related, more medical staff and more health care providers will become familiar with those devices so that they can introduce those devices and knowledge to the disabled or the elderly in need of them. In all those aspects, it's a very significant, meaning and useful event.

London Reporter

The next major international event in China is the world Expo in Shanghai in 2010. How far are you planning ahead to improve accessibility in Shanghai? Just as Beijing has made accessible for the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, are there plans to make accessible such Shanghai icons as the Bund and Pudong? I asked this because for the last five years, I have been campaigning to make the major bridges of Venice step free in time for the 1200 anniversary of the foundation of Venice also in the 2010?

Cheng Kai

Thank you for your very kind recommendation. According to my knowledge, the organizing committee of Shanghai Expo is working together with China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) and the Ministry of Civil Affairs to have co-organized the whole for a special exhibition hall for all the special booths for the disabled persons. So it will be part and parcel of the world Expo, which will last longer than the Paralympic Games with even more far reaching impact on the society. Those activities will be kicked off and progressively underway. For the establishment of booths and pavilion for the disabled, it will further promote the integration of the disabled into the general society so that they can partake in the advantages delivered by the Shanghai as an international metropolis, such as its material wealth and cultural heritage, so that they will be able to experience the products, wonders and achievements from all over the world. The Shanghai Expo Organizing Committee is working together with the Ministry of Civil Affairs towards and CDPF towards that end. About 5 years ago in Shanghai, it successfully held the 5th Para Games in China. During the organization and the hosting of that Games by Shanghai, facilities of accessibility in Shanghai enjoyed a major boost and enhancement including volunteer services for the disabled. I myself am a disabled person, and sometimes I need to use the wheelchair in the Bund especially in Pudong. I don't think there is any problem for a wheelchair user like me. Fopr the full realization of accessibility, it lies not only on the material infrastructure, but also on the attitude of the general public. To host the Shanghai Expo, we should leverage it as an opportunity to promote more tolerance and ready to help attitude among the general public. For those disabled persons or other disadvantageous groups in our society. That is one of the major objective behind the establishment of the pavilion for the disabled persons. I think your vision will and must be achieved in Shanghai.

China Daily

I heard just now that we have two problems facing at this point, one is that we don't have high tech products and this has something to do not only with the industry but also with the attitudes. I'd like to know what are some of the bottlenecks in terms of the industry and the attitudes and how can we improve this?

Xu Xiaoming

High teach products need to be accumulated over a long period of time. You need to have a professional team to develop them and this kind of development comes over time. In our country, because we still lag behind very much the rest of the world in the whole areas dealing with people with disability. For instances, there are prosthesis and electric devices, this is something that we have not developed. Another point is, the government must help and assist such kind of enterprises. I think this is going to take us a period of time. The government input and resources are still at an early stage. There are already some inputs in this whole area, and this is continuing to grow. But it will take some time. Besides, many assistive devices have to be personalized and adapted to the individual users. This means there is a need of a huge variety of different kinds of assistive devices adapted to different people. This kind of sophistication and evaluation, whether the devices are suitable or not, for a long time we don't have a good understanding of this. From the enterprise's point of view, the government needs to provide more support for both high level and low level products. In a number of places, we need to have a leader, our organization has to have a better understanding not only of the production but also the use of these devices. For this whole sector, no matter how you looked at it, it has achieved a lot through government support. So I think this area, our guarantee system, input system and resource system have to be enhanced and improved.

Nanfang Metropolis News

You mentioned just now the subsidies from the government. Are there any subsidy policies or is there anything in our social welfare and medical insurance system that would provide such kind of subsidies for buying any of these devices, a discount or some kind of help?

Xu Xiaoming

At this particular point, the government has been providing subsidies for basic devices. For instance, between the 10th Five Year Plan and the 11th Five Year Plan, there have been subsidies and resources set aside for prosthesis and artificial limbs. From the 10th Five Year Plan, other basic devices such as closet pans, different kind of canes, wheelchair are subsidized paid for by the government. But it's still not enough. From a policy point of view, injury insurance and rehabilitation are also included in that kind of coverage. Other kinds of assistive devices such as hearing aids are also been provided. However, our next goal is to try and include all these in the medical insurance. At this particular point, it does not exist.

China National Radio

I would like to follow on the last reporter. The employment in our country is considered to be part of the overall program. Do we consider the employment in these companies or enterprises that make prosthesis and other kinds of devices? Because I think that people with disability have a close understanding of the devices. So I'd like to know what actually you are doing, is there a kind of preferential treatment in this area?

Xu Xiaoming

Well, one of the participants in the Expo is actually a company that not only make devices but also is providing a lot of employment for the disabled. From Hengshui of Hebei Province that manufactures crouches and different kinds of canes, this is simple not high tech areas, but this is where we provide some kind of employment.

Beijing Radio

I am in charge of program for the elderly. In this Expo, there are two sponsors, the CDPF and the China National Committee on Aging. This arouses the key interest from the Beijing committee, could you define for us the assistive devices, what does it mean? In this exhibition, how many products is specifically designed for the elderly? What's the relationship between the differences between the devices for the disabled and the elderly? As we heard from Cheng Kai, there is going to be forum, are there any forums or activities specifically for the elderly?

Yuan Xinli

You have asked for 5 questions. I will try to respond to each of them. Last year when we had an assistive devices expo, the Beijing Committee for the Elderly was very much involved. They were very interested. I hope the exhibition will provide a lot of devices that they need. However, this kind of devices are not many in number. The price is a bit difficult too. First, let me talk about what assistive device is. The question is how you understand this. Most of the time, we think it is part of the welfare in our country. Actually I think it's from abroad. Hong Kong uses it as Fuzhi, Japan uses it too. This is closer to the welfare system for the disabled and the elderly. That's why we have adopted it. It's all part of the whole welfare concept. How many of these devices are for the elderly, I think the organizer of the Expo is probably clear about that. Last year it was about 50%. Over half of the devices are directed to the aging, which is a very high proportion of disabled people. According to statistics, in 83 million with disability, the elderly occupy 50%. I'm talking about those over 60. The reason why we have worked together with CDPF and China National Committee on Aging is because the elderly occupies such a high proportion of people with disability. So I don't think we should understand disability just as people sit in wheelchair. Actually there are all kinds disabilities and all kinds of assistive devices. It's an extremely rich area. It's not only a hearing aid, or a crouch or a cane, there are also prosthesis, artificial limbs, etc. When a person reached a certain age or certain degree of disability, there are a lot of places where you can use similar devices, for instance, the wheelchair. People with disability use it, old people use it. It's only the young people with disability in their 20s or 30s are different from the elderly in terms of the functions. Talking about the hearing impaired, how do you distinguish between them. Actually hearing impaired is only when you get old, you have an age related hearing impairment and other kind of hearing impairment. So when we organized the expo, we have a great wish, we can provide some kind of concrete assistance so that their quality of life and circumstances can be improved. We believe this is an important part of building a harmonious society. Right from the central government to the local government, this is an important content for the whole area. I'd like to

Cheng Kai

I would like to cite an example of what Mr. Yuan said. The elderly, the disabled, actually is biggest difference is the age. We have an activity early this year from the Beijing Municipality, which is closely related to what you said. The city of Beijing for those over the age of 60, we provide free trolley for shopping. This year, Beijing has decided to provide free trolley to all people with disability and the elderly. So this is actually a huge improvement. When we provide these trolleys, we see that the elderly not only use them as a support like a cane, but it's also a transportation, a vehicle they can also turn it around, sit on it and rest. They are not very complicated, but they are very strong, very durable. So in other words, people with disability and the elderly have very special needs. In the developed areas like Shanghai, how to improve their conditions, the situation now is very clear. And we hope very much that we'll continue to work towards this goal through this Expo. We have 'Fuzhi', this character, the assistive devices. We looked it up in the dictionary. It means to help you move, help you walk. Through the government to distribute these devices to those who need them. Our name for the Expo is actually adopted from Japan, but it's not only to propose a lot of new brands and to display a lot of new devices, but also help to increase the supply of such devices through local government and authorities.

Wang Hui

Before we close the press conference, I'd like to tell you that this afternoon there will be another press conference on a film called Blossom, which is based on the life of a blind person and how this person through years of study and efforts has become a piano teacher. People involved in the making of the film will be here this afternoon. Also another activity at 11:00 on September 11, three Paralympic stars will come to meet everybody. Madam Ping Yali who is the first ever gold medalist for Paralympics, Mr. Du Jianping, who is the first gold medalist of this Paralympics, and Madam Jiang Xintian who lit the Paralympic torch at the Temple of Heaven will be here. Thank you very much for coming here and reporting on our exhibition. Thank you.