The participation rate of persons with disabilities in China's basic medical insurance has remained above 95 percent, official data show.

Meanwhile, over 90 percent of people with disabilities in China are covered by basic old-age insurance for both urban and rural residents, Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, told a press conference on Tuesday.

According to the federation, social security programs for the disabled that encompass different subsidies and allowances have been further expanded over the past five years, ensuring that all eligible are covered.

By June 2025, living allowances for the disabled in financial difficulty and nursing subsidies for the severely disabled had benefited 11.88 million and 16.4 million, respectively.

A total of 10.5 million people with disabilities are included in the country's subsistence allowance system, Cheng added.

Public services have also been enhanced to improve the lives of people with disabilities. A nationwide campaign for barrier-free home renovations benefited 1.28 million households with disabled members during the period, surpassing the original target of 1.1 million, Cheng said.

Income level sees steady improvement

The annual net income of families with disabled members in China grew at an average rate of 6.9 percent per year from 2020 to 2023, roughly matching the pace of the country's GDP growth, a senior Chinese official said Tuesday.

Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, made the remarks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), people with disabilities in China have also seen their job opportunities expanding, said Cheng. He noted that a total of 2.31 million persons with disabilities were newly employed during the period, adding that many have secured jobs in emerging industries, such as online platforms.

According to Li Dongmei, the federation's vice-chairperson, more than 400,000 persons with disabilities were newly employed every year during the period. The employment rate of the disabled population grew by nearly 5 percentage points.

In addition, a total of 2.17 million persons with disabilities were organized to receive vocational training, which significantly improved the quality of their employment, said Li.