Stories between Xi and people with disabilities

China is home to more than 85 million people with various disabilities, whose well-being President Xi Jinping has always borne in his mind.

Xi said people with disabilities are equal members of society, and special attention should be paid to taking care of them.

The following are some of Xi's interactions with the disabled.

President Xi Jinping meets with representatives at a ceremony commending role models with disabilities and people who have made outstanding contributions in helping the disabled in Beijing, May 16, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Demining hero

When meeting with the representatives at a ceremony honoring role models with disabilities on May 2019, Xi stopped in front of a young soldier whose eyes were covered with gauze and whose arms were amputated.

Xi gently held his elbow with one hand and patted him on the shoulder with the other encouragingly. The solider, Du Fuguo, saluted Xi with his residual arm.

Du lost his eyesight and both hands trying to protect his fellow soldiers from a landmine explosion in 2018.

Du was honored with the title of "Heroic Demining Soldier" in 2019. Xi Jinping also mentioned Du in his 2020 New Year address, saluting the soldier's heroism.