BEIJING - A national-level therapy center for children with autistic disorders will soon open in China's southernmost resort island of Hainan.The (south) child autism therapy center, located in the coastal city of Haikou, will open its doors in May -- offering accommodation and treatment for children with autism, its operators said Friday.The facility, run by the China Foundation for Disabled Persons and the Disabled Persons' Federation of Hainan, can accommodate 30 families at present and will be expanded to host up to 200 children in the future.Zhang Yanhua, secretary-general of the foundation, said the facility was China's first national-level therapy center for children with autism. It will mainly admit children from Hainan and those in the country's poor western regions.Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interaction, and by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.No effective cure has been found.A key to early intervention is therapy centers. Because children on the spectrum often struggle to keep up with their classmates, they benefit from attending centers where their specific needs can be attended to.Autism was largely unknown to many Chinese until a few years ago. Successful awareness campaigns have led to increased funding and academic research on the disorder.China has about 2 million children with autism, according to research institute estimates. rubber silicone braceletscharity braceletsballer bandslivestrong bracelet24 hour wristbandsmake rubber bracelets
HONG KONG - A youth exchange program named "Belt and Road Journey" kicked off here Thursday, aiming to raise awareness of the opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative.Twenty young people will travel by train at the end of this month to cities including Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Kazakhstan's Almaty.The 20 young people, aged between 18 and 25, were selected from more than 500 applicants.During the six-day trip, they will visit local businesses and landmarks, and interact with local university students, one of the organizers, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) said at a press conference.In this way, the young people from Hong Kong will get "first-hand knowledge of the economic and cultural landscape of different Belt and Road regions," the organizer noted.The journey will be filmed and broadcast as a special TV series in September, as part of the HKTDC's ongoing efforts to promote the Belt and Road Initiative through the media and social media channels to attract more young people to get involved.HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Raymond Yip described the program as a flagship Belt and Road promotion event for young people this summer.He hoped that through direct interaction with local youths and visits to companies, the trip will help young people here gain a deeper understanding of the initiative.The initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.
