Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) and president of the National Paralympic Committee of China, and Zhou Changkui, vice-chairman of the CDPF and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the CDPF, met separately in Beijing with Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), on April 22 and 23. You Liang, vice-chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the CDPF, joined the meetings.
Cheng extended a warm welcome to Parsons and expressed gratitude for the IPC's longstanding support for the development of China's Paralympic movement. He said the Chinese government attaches great importance to sports for persons with disabilities, integrating it into national development plans and promoting a balanced advancement of both elite and grassroots sports for persons with disabilities.
At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, China topped both the gold and overall medal tallies for the sixth consecutive time, marking a new milestone for China's sports for persons with disabilities, Cheng said.
He also emphasized the longstanding cooperative relationship between China's National Paralympic Committee and the IPC and reaffirmed support for the IPC initiatives and actions. He added that China is ready to deepen collaboration to contribute more to the global Paralympic movement.
During his meeting with Parsons, Zhou shared updates on China's progress in the development of the cause of persons with disabilities, particularly in sports and science and technology. He noted that China's efforts to promote equality, inclusion, and shared development for persons with disabilities align with the IPC's "Change Starts with Sport" motto. He expressed the CDPF's commitment to serving as a platform for promoting disability inclusion and to further strengthening cooperation with the IPC.
Parsons commended China's achievements in sports for persons with disabilities and said he hoped that China would continue to share its successful experiences in enabling persons with disabilities to achieve their sporting aspirations and integrate more fully into society. He also encouraged China to play a greater role in supporting the development of sports for persons with disabilities in other developing countries.
Officials from the CDPF's Department of Sports and Department of International Liaison attended the meetings.