State Councilor Hui Liangyu saluted the country's 60 million people with disabilities Friday on the occasion of China's 14th Handicapped People-Aid Day, which falls on the third Sunday of every May, or May 16 this year.

Hui, on behalf of the State Council, gave warm greetings and heartfelt thanks to people from different circles who have shown care to and assisted the undertakings of the handicapped population. He urged all localities to help the vulnerable group through substantial measures.

The official made these remarks during a visit to some poverty-stricken handicapped villagers in Daxing District, in suburban Beijing, People of all circles should be mobilized to help handicapped people and to jointly create a happy life and beautiful future of all the people, he said.

Hui is also director of the State Council's coordinating committee on the issue of handicapped population.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2004)