On May 6, the annual meeting of the APEC Friends of the Chair (FotC) Group on Economic and Technical Cooperation was held in Jeju, South Korea. The International Forum on Disability Employment was concurrently held during the meeting. You Liang, vice-chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the China Disabled Persons' Federation and chair of the FotC Group, attended the event.
You delivered a speech on technology and accessibility driving inclusive labor development. He highlighted the opportunities and challenges brought about by the digital era and emphasized the need for APEC economies to ensure that technological advances are inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.
You stated that China has incorporated assistive technologies for persons with disabilities into its national development plans, introduced policy guidelines to enhance technology-based assistance for this demographic, and built collaborative platforms to enhance their overall well-being. He shared China's practices in using advanced technologies to support the employment and entrepreneurship among persons with disabilities and expressed a willingness to strengthen cooperation with other APEC economies to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve comprehensive development through employment and entrepreneurship.
From May 7 to 10, You participated in the plenary session of the 50th APEC Human Resources Development Working Group. During the meeting, You reported on the progress and future plans of the FotC Group. He also joined a dialogue on ensuring decent work conditions and disability-inclusive workplaces, where he introduced China's practical efforts to promote dignified employment for people with disabilities. At the closing session, he called on APEC economies to take effective actions to advance the economic empowerment of people with disabilities.
The Friends of the Chair Group was established in 2024 under the framework of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group. It is dedicated to promoting the integrated development of disability affairs across APEC economies.