Braille copy of key govt document prepared

When national lawmaker Wang Yongcheng sat down at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday to attend the opening meeting of the annual session of China's top legislature, he was handed a copy of the Government Work Report in Braille.

The white, ring-bound report was specially prepared by the 14th National People's Congress for Wang, who is visually impaired, marking the first time a Braille version of such a document was presented at an NPC session.

Listening to the work report, his fingertips traced the raised dots on the document.

"It is a visible and tangible happiness to me," said Wang, a deputy to the 14th NPC.

Making such a work report is part of the effort to implement the law on construction of a barrier-free living environment, which took effect in September, as well as to better serve and help national lawmakers perform their duties, according to the NPC Standing Committee.

Wang, from Sanming, Fujian province, lost his sight in an accident at the age of 18 in 1985, but did not give up on life. After learning massage skills in Henan province, he returned to his hometown in 1995 and opened the first blind massage clinic in the area, with free training offered for people with severe visual impairment.

He was elected as a deputy to the 14th NPC at the beginning of last year. As part of his duties as a deputy he must submit suggestions after finding problems people encounter in their work and everyday lives.

He put forward proposals on education, employment and the construction of barrier-free environments.

In November, he received replies in Braille to the proposals he made. The NPC Standing Committee, along with four departments that Wang's proposals related to — the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Education, China Railway and the China Disabled Persons' Federation — also visited him in Fuzhou, Fujian's provincial capital, to discuss the replies face to face.

In one suggestion, Wang urged educational authorities to provide textbooks with larger print for visually challenged students enrolled in regular schools. With support from the ministry, textbooks for 13 subjects were published in large print for the 2023 autumn semester.

There are nearly 3,000 NPC deputies, but Wang, 56, is the only one with a visual impairment.

While speaking for people with disabilities, Wang said that participation in the NPC session has become more convenient.

Last year, during the first session of the 14th NPC, meeting organizers equipped Wang's room with a computer for the blind, and provided barrier-free access to the meeting venue.

"This year, I'm moved and encouraged when touching the Braille document. As an NPC deputy and also a member of the disabled, I'll raise more suggestions to help the group of people solve difficulties," he said.

According to official data, there were 85 million people in China with disabilities at the end of 2021.

Wang said that he plans to focus on nursing care services.

"I'm ready to propose on the issue, hoping authorities can attach greater importance to improving relevant services for the disabled," he said.