(BEIJING, September 5) -- With the support of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, the preparations for the Beijing Paralympic Games have progressed smoothly in the past six years, said Liu Jingmin, vice-mayor of Beijing and executive vice-president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

The major objectives for every phase have been fulfilled as scheduled, laying a sound foundation for the success of the Paralympics, he told the Chefs de Mission Seminar of the Paralympics, which was opened in Beijing on Wednesday.

Liu Jingmin briefs the meeting on preparations for Paralympics.

He said September 6 marks the one-year countdown to the Paralympics and BOCOG will further strengthen communications and exchanges with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the national and regional Paralympic committees (NPCs), and strive to provide services meeting the Olympic standards to all participants.

"We will fully consider the special needs of the Paralympics and Paralympians and create an accessible environment for them in and out the competition venues," Liu promised.

On behalf of IPC president Philip Craven, IPC CEO Xavier Gonzalez welcomed the chefs de mission and praised the Chinese government for its support and thoroughgoing work.

He said the IPC is confident that Beijing will hold Paralympics Games that are as splendid and well-organized as the Olympic Games since BOCOG has already created many "firsts" in the history of the Paralympics within the short period of the preparations.

    
Xavier Gonzalez delivers a speech.

Sponsored by BOCOG and the IPC, the three-day seminar aims at briefing the NPCs on the preparations for the Paralympics and hearing about their needs and suggestions. Members of the NPCs will pay a field visit to the competition venues and the Paralympic Village.

More than 200 people, including delegates from over 90 NPCs and relevant IPC organizations, attended the opening session.