The fifth national congress of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Nov. 11, 2008.

The fifth national congress of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Nov. 11, 2008. CDPF started the three-day national congress Tuesday morning to discuss goals for helping the country's disabled in the next five years.

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) began a three-day national congress here Tuesday to discuss goals for helping the country's disabled over the next five years.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other state leaders including Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang attended the opening ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

According to the agenda, 630 delegates representing the country's 83 million disabled people, will hear and discuss a workreport by the CDPF. After debate the plan is to adopt amendments to the federation's constitution.

On behalf of central leadership, Vice Premier Li Keqiang delivered an address at the opening ceremony in which he urged the disabled to work hard for a better life and future.

Li said China made historical progress and brilliant achievements in working with the disabled over the past 30 years.

The remarkable performance of Chinese disabled athletes at the Beijing Paralympic Games this summer and the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympics World Games had demonstrated the development of China's disabled cause, he said.

The Vice Premier urged relevant organizations, at all levels, to provide the country's disabled with more help and services and strive for their interests and appeals.

He asked governments at various levels to increase awareness of disabled workers, make more policies preferable to disabled people and appropriate more money to build more handicap-friendly public facilities.

Li also called on society to practice humanitarianism and Chinese traditional virtues to understand, respect and take care of the disabled.