Touchable Chinese Democracy

BEIJING, Dec. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on the whole-process people's democracy in China:

With his fingertips sliding across the raised dots, Wang Yongcheng, China's first visually impaired National People's Congress (NPC) deputy, carefully read the Braille version of replies to his suggestion. Wang exclaimed: "It's heart-warming and I'm touched. For visually impaired people like me, this is indeed a sound reply that enables us to touch and 'see'."

This reply to an NPC deputy suggestion, the first ever Braille version in the NPC's history, was delivered to the hands of Wang Yongcheng by four relevant organizations including the China Disabled Persons' Federation. After that, these organizations introduced to him related policies, and updated on him the progress concerning his suggestion, while listening to Wang's feedback.

During this year's two sessions, Wang Yongcheng put forward multiple suggestions to the National People's Congress with a focus on safeguarding the rights of the disabled which covered the employment and education of visually-impaired people, as well as the construction of barrier-free environments. We mentioned in a previous episode that China's inaugural law on creating barrier-free living environments came into force on September 1st. A provision stipulated that publishing organizations are encouraged to compile and publish textbooks in Braille or special versions for the visually challenged. This stipulation can be traced back to Wang's suggestion. When collecting concerns among the disabled, Wang learned that for the students studying in normal schools but with low vision, reading normal textbooks are challenging and prone to exhausting their eyes. "These students couldn't bring out their best performance, then they may lag behind or even have to drop out of normal schooling." Hence, Wang Yongcheng submitted a suggestion on printing large-font textbooks for the low vision students who study in normal schools. His efforts were rewarded — the suggestion was heard and put into practice.

"We may not be able to see others, but we can let more people see us!" He said.

A suggestion was put forward, taken and then replied, meaning one voice allowed 85 million or so in the disabled community to be heard. Via the process, I saw smooth and efficient access to democracy, a whole-process and solid democracy that treats all groups of people as the masters of society, one that puts solving problems for the people at the core.

Wang Yongcheng represents more than just the disabled community. His story also epitomizes the progress seen among other specific groups like the women, the children, the elderly, ethnic minorities and so on — their voices are becoming increasingly heard. In the process of China's democratic development, everyone is a beneficiary as well as a contributor.

True democracy can be seen, touched, and felt by the public.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm
Touchable Chinese Democracy
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-12/07/content_116864528.htm