China has made significant progress in developing disability-related programs, a representative of the China Disabled Persons' Federation said on Wednesday.

"The development of disability-related programs has been incorporated into China's national economic and social development plans," said Ren Zhanbin, director of the federation's education and employment department, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

"It has gradually evolved into a comprehensive social undertaking encompassing rehabilitation, education, employment, poverty alleviation, social security, culture and sports, and accessibility development," he said.

Overall, this had improved the level of social protection and development opportunities for Chinese people with disabilities, Ren told the 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, or COSP19.

The convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006, is the first legally binding international treaty that protects the rights of people with disabilities.

An active advocate in the drafting of the convention, China was among the first countries to become a state party. It signed the convention in March 2007, and the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress formally ratified it the next year.

Ren said the Chinese government adheres to a people-centered approach, conscientiously fulfills its obligations under the convention, and implements the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Speaking on Tuesday, when the three-day COSP19 started, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "Together, let's realize the rights of every person with disabilities and build a fair and vibrant future for all."

The UN praised the strides nations have made over the past 20 years, but said "significant barriers remain" and that COSP19 will offer solutions.

China is home to 85 million people with disabilities, about 6.34 percent of its population, according to the China Disabled Persons' Federation.

Ren expressed China's commitment to enabling people with disabilities to become "true holders of rights, as well as participants in, contributors to and beneficiaries of economic and social development".

The country has created a comprehensive legal framework to strengthen the protection of disability rights. This year, the Social Assistance Law was formally codified.

"This system ensures that persons with disabilities enjoy equal access to social security while receiving support services tailored to their individual needs," Ren said.

China has also established a living allowance system for people with disabilities who face financial hardship and a nursing subsidy system. The living allowance benefits 12 million people, while the nursing subsidy benefits 16.6 million.

Other successes in the fight for disability rights include promoting community and home-based care to support independent living, and housing support, rental assistance and housing security for those facing financial hardship.

Anyone who wants to work but has intellectual, psychosocial or severe physical disabilities is provided with supportive services that combine care with sheltered and supported employment, Ren said.

The China Disabled Persons' Federation, together with the federations of Zhejiang and Qinghai provinces, organized exhibitions at UN Headquarters on disability-related cultural and creative works and poverty alleviation achievements in China.

Themed Blooming Together, the exhibitions featured more than 200 works from Zhejiang, Qinghai and other regions.