On November 23, 2011, the signing ceremony of “Standard System of Website Accessibility Design” project was convened in Beijing. It was jointly hosted by China Federation for Disabled Persons (CFDP), China Communication Standards Association (CCSA) and Internet Society of China (ISC) with the guidance of UNESCO, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and China Disabled Person’s Federation (CDPF). Leaders and guests from relevant organizations attended the signing ceremony, including Mr. YANG Xueshan, the Vice Minister of MIIT, Mr. GAO Lulin, the Vice President of ISC, Mr. Abhimanyu Singh, the Director of UNESCO Beijing Office, Mr. WU Hequan, the President of CCSA, Ms. WANG Naikun, the Vice President of CDPF and Mr. XING Jianxu, the Vice President of CFDP. The signing ceremony was presided over by Mr. YANG Zemin, the Secretary-general of CCSA. 

Minister YANG Xueshan pointed out that Chinese government paid close attention to and committed to narrow the “digital gap”, especially taking disabled information accessibility as a priority. However, there is a long way to go in information accessibility construction, due to the communication infrastructural and service capability is relative backward in China. Under the current situation, Minister YANG proposed four suggestions, that is, improving information infrastructure construction, focusing on information technology research, strengthening international communication and cooperation and carrying on information accessibility standard setting. 

Vice President GAO Lulin said that while the information technology and Internet greatly propel society development, it became more prominent that the disabled had some difficulties in getting access to the information and participating in social activities. It is aimed to promote information accessibility and narrow “digital gap”, provide the disabled with efficient aids and let them enjoy the convenient Internet services based on the advanced technology, and to create a fair, inclusive and harmonious information society.  

To promote the draft and implementation of Chinese information accessibility standard, CFDP got in touch with UNESCO to fund CCSA “Standard System of Website Accessibility Design” project, unite the international organizations to support the revisal of Technical Requirements of Website Accessibility Design and Ranking and Testing Method of Website Accessibility Design, and then drive the Standard to be an industrial and national standard with the approval of MIIT and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The draft and implementation of the standard will help the disabled to further get involved in the information society and promote China Internet information accessibility construction. 

Mr. Singh said that the fund project aims to strengthen the information accessibility research and standard formulation, apply the existed standard to product research and development and service system construction and to improve China information accessibility environment. 

ISC, CCSA and CFDP jointly signed the Cooperation Declaration of “Standard System of Website Accessibility Design” project. It is aimed to promote the draft and application of information accessibility standard of international advanced level, improve and upgrade China information accessibility standard, provide the disabled with more convenient information technology services and help them enjoy the information society life on an equal basis.