Deng Pufang, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), announced Thursday that the government has set a goal to enable all the handicapped to enjoy rehabilitative services by the year 2015.

Deng, who is also deputy director of the State Council Committee on Coordination of the Work on Handicapped People, announced the goal at the third national conference on the work of rehabilitating the handicapped.

Five percent of China's population, or over 60 million people, are handicapped, and the government began large-scale efforts to rehabilitate them in the 1980s.

Over the past 12 years, over six million handicapped Chinese have been rehabilitated with the help of the government and CDPF branches at different levels.

Meanwhile, 91.94 million women and infants have received iodic pills to prevent iodine deficiency-related illnesses.

Deng noted that in 2000, the government announced that China had reached the goal of making primary health care available to all.

According to the new goal, 70 percent of handicapped people living in cities and developed rural areas will have access to rehabilitative services, while 50 percent of those living in underdeveloped rural areas will have assistance by 2005.

By 2010, all the handicapped in cities and developed rural areas will have access to the services, while 70 percent of those living in underdeveloped rural areas will get aid.

By 2015, all the handicapped in the country will have access to rehabilitative services.