The Wheelchair Foundation based in the United States donated 20,000 wheelchairs to disabled people in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday.

Kenneth E. Behring, founder of the foundation, praised the efforts of the local government at the donation ceremony and said that he was glad to see smiles on the faces of disabled people in Chengdu, Sichuan's capital.

"People in Chengdu, the disabled and others alike, will remember this gift," said Li Chuncheng, Communist Party Secretary of Chengdu.

Li added that funds and other equipment will be offered to disabled people.

Founded in 2000, the Wheelchair Foundation aims to improve the quality of life of disabled around the world.

It has so far donated about 548,000 wheelchairs worldwide, including 125,000 to China.

China has 82.96 million disabled people, 6.34 percent of the country's total population.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2007)