As the last Games prior to the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, the 7th Chinese National Games for the Disabled will play an important role for the Chinese athletes as a tune-up for their performance in the world arena, said Qin Guangrong, president of the local organizing committee in an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Kunming on Friday.

The Games for the Disabled, a major event in China's sports calendar, will be officially opened in Kunming, the capital of its southwest Yunnan Province, on Saturday. It will become the biggest in scale and number of participants, with the participation of 2,251 athletes from all across the country for the 20 sports, including three non-Paralympic ones.

"It is also for the first time that the National Games for the Disabled is being held in western China," said Qin.

"As the host, Yunnan takes over much trust and responsibilities from the central government, to make the Games the best and to gain experience for the Beijing Paralympics in 2008."

During years of preparation since Yunnan was declared to host the Games in March 2002, officials of the Chinese Paralympic Committee have come to Yunnan several times to communicate with the local organizing committee and to help prepare for the Games.

Among its efforts, the Yunnan provincial government has built the Xinyao Sports Complex, re-furbished 14 other sports facilities, and set up non-obstacle equipment for the 26 reception hotels, said Qin.

A total of 400 vehicles of different kinds have been put into use for the disabled, including 80 special buses for those in wheelchairs, 115 bus stops in Kunming alone have been specially rebuilt, blind sidewalks have been paved and slopes have been constructed at the bus stops for the blind and those in wheelchairs, the president said.

Furthermore, electric bells have been put up for the blind at the pedestrian crossings and safety islands in the middle of the crossings were specially designed to make way for wheelchairs.

Apart from 5,000 volunteers who will serve the Games, 2,700 taxi drivers have also offer free drives voluntarily up till now for the athletes and those registered members of the Games in the city, said Qin.

In accordance with the concepts of "Scientific Olympics", "Green Olympics" and "Humanity Olympics" for the Beijing Olympics, the local organizing committee of the National Games for the Disabled has been strictly sticking to the Paralympic standard in its inclusion of sports, competition system, judging rules, reception arrangement and selection of volunteers.

"It is even more important for the athletes to gain experience than to simply win the gold medals as the National Games will also serve as a trial to select talents for the Beijing Paralympics," Qin said.

The president also hopes that China will continue to win the most gold medals in the Beijing Paralympics after topping the tally for the first time in Athens in 2004.
 
(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2007)