APC President Praises Guangzhou for Excellent Job

The 2010 Asian Para Games conclude in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Sunday night. During the past week, the host city has impressed the world with a warm opening ceremony and an amazing performance by Paralympic athletes. During an interview with CRI, Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC), gave Guangzhou high marks for staging a successful Paralympic event. Our reporter Sun Yang has more.

Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin, Chief of the Asian Paralympic governing body, spoke highly of the management arrangements and work done by the host city.

"All people, not only myself, have witnessed the success of the Guangzhou Asian Para Games. The management of the Games is excellent. They have maintained the same high standard as the Beijing Paralympic Games two years ago."

The APC president told CRI that he was satisfied with what he had seen and heard from the athletes.

"I found that everybody that I met expressed the same thing. They are very satisfied with the arrangements and services here. They think Guangzhou is a wonderful place, and they are very happy with the atmosphere being created. The environment is beneficial to all athletes to perform their best in the Guangzhou Asian Para Games."

The Asian Para Games saw around 2,500 athletes from 41 countries and regions taking part in 19 sports. As of Sunday morning, 20 countries and regions won gold, and 31 took home at least one medal.

Dato' Zainal Abu Zarin said the event is not all about competition. What's more, it is a window through which the public could learn more about the disabled.

"The Asian Para Games have provided a platform for Paralympic athletes to demonstrate themselves. Meanwhile, we took the opportunity to make people aware about respecting the lawful rights and interests of the disabled and giving them an equal chance."

The APC president said the Games were not just for the citizens of Guangzhou, but for the whole world. He hopes the media will spread the city's Paralympic spirit of the athletes as well as the message of respecting the disabled.

For CRI, I'm Sun Yang in Guangzhou.