APC chief "happy and proud" of changes to Hangzhou ahead of Asian Para Games

HANGZHOU, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The head of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) on Sunday praised the work of organizers in creating a barrier-free environment for participants of the 4th Asian Para Games.

"I'm happy and proud of the changes to the city. They adopt many accessible ways for people with disabilities, starting from the airport to transportation," Asian Paralympic Committee chairman Majid Rashed told a press conference in Hangzhou.

"The city of Hangzhou shows a great example for hosting such a big event," he added.

According to Chen Weiqiang, spokesman for the Asian Para Games, to create a safe and comfortable barrier-free environment for Asian Para Games participants, Hangzhou has carried out 140,000 urban barrier-free projects, including renovation and upgrading of competition venues, the Asian Para Games Village and sub-villages and major urban roads.

"Hangzhou started to renovate and upgrade the barrier-free facilities several years ago, such as public toilets, overpasses and ramps. 380 sign language service points and hundreds of taxis that meet barrier-free standards were put into use at the same time," Chen said.

The athletes' village and Chun'an sub-village provide 1,100 barrier-free beds, set up supporting service functional areas such as grading centers and assistive device maintenance centers, and provide barrier-free dining facilities such as wheelchair dining areas, he added.

The Hangzhou Asian Para Games will feature 22 sports and 564 events, with nearly 3,100 athletes from 44 countries and regions participating.