BEIJING, Dec. 15 -- More ways should be adopted nationwide to help the disabled improve their self-reliance skills, said an editorial in People's Daily. An excerpt follows:

    How to address the concerns of disabled people poses an important task to the government and society.

    Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province, has set the nation a good example in this respect.

    The city has reportedly launched a series of free-of-charge services for the disabled, such as holding professional skills training and special job fairs. With all these activities aimed at encouraging "equality, participation and sharing" in society, tangible achievements have been made.

    Firstly, with a "people-oriented" approach, the city has ensured the disabled can enjoy equal and harmonious living conditions.

    Arousing public concerns helps society and the disabled. The original intention of the act is good, given that it has helped cultivate public benevolence towards the disabled. However, this has also deepened their perception that they are a special social group, thus widening their distance with the rest of society. Instead, if we able people take initiatives to move closer to their lives and recognize them as equally competent fellow citizens, the disabled will not be haunted by their physical defects. Feeling they are an equal member of society but not an outsider, the disabled will enjoy more confidence and delight in their lives.

    Secondly, Taiyuan has introduced a new approach to help the disabled - teaching them how to survive instead of helping them survive.

    Just as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on December 3 when addressing the International Day of Disabled Persons, the disabled have long been treated as passive acceptors of social welfare policies. Usually, some simply believe that helping the disabled means offering them mere subsistence materials.

    From a long-term perspective, the disabled should be taught living skills, to lift themselves out of miseries and become active participants of society. China has a population of 60 million disabled people, accounting for 5 per cent of the total. So mere material assistance is far from sufficient.

    Taiyuan's act of helping the disabled, which fully embodies understanding, care, communication and help, has successfully encouraged equal participation and self-development of the disabled.

    This act is also a sign of social progress and should serve as a model for the whole nation.

    Now China's law protecting the disabled is under revision. Measures to improve their social status and equip them with better self-promotion and life skills should be fully recognized in the form of law.

    (Source: China Daily)