There are more than 30 million people in China who have hearing and vision impairments, with varied regional and cultural differences. Currently, translation of special languages such as Braille and sign language often depends on a person's demographic data. However, the government is planning to implement an official nationwide standard for sign language and Braille within the next five years, according to Chinese state media.

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To achieve this goal, the government is collaborating with China Disabled Person's Federation, the Ministry of Education, State Language Commission and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Authorities have vowed to create a legislation for the protection and standardization of the language.

The government's main objective is to formulate a sole type of sign language and Braille that will be used nationwide by the year 2017.

Cheng Kai, a senior official of China Disabled Person's Federation, stated that standardizing sign language and Braille is meant to promote the rights of people who have disabilities.  Disabled persons also have the right to improve themselves culturally and be able to mingle with society as a whole person, Cheng said.

The new standardized language will serve as the official method of communication used by people with disabilities. Its use through internet and social media platforms will be implemented by the year 2020.

China has gone a long way in the development of special languages since the release of the first Braille newspaper supplement in 2002, according to China Daily.

The newspaper supplement was released by Shenzhen Business Daily. The newspaper supplement was a special 'one-off' issue for blind people, which was published by the Chinese Braille Language Publishing House.  

This supplement contained approximately 20,000 words and focused on life and employment issues of blind people in Shenzhen. The reading material garnered a thousand readers throughout the province.

Tagsstandardize, sign language, braille, Five years