The 2025 China International Welfare Expo and China International Rehabilitation Expo (CR EXPO) recently opened grandly at the Beijing National Convention Center. As the largest and most international rehabilitation and assistive devices event in China, this year’s Expo brought together numerous cutting-edge technologies and innovative products. Seizing this opportunity, the "New Quality Productivity Youth Observer Action Plan," jointly launched by Tsinghua University’s Zhishan College and the Tsinghua University New Quality Productivity Research Institute, organized its first investigative visit activity.
To ensure the depth and breadth of the investigation, the New Quality Productivity Research Institute held an online briefing session on the evening of September 13. During the meeting, Cai Jiming, Dean of the Tsinghua University New Quality Productivity Research Institute, and Lü Shiming, Standing Committee Member of the National People’s Congress and Vice Chairman of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, provided background introductions to the observers. They elaborated on the economic and social significance of barrier-free environment construction, emphasized the purpose and importance of this action plan, and encouraged the youth observers to actively engage in practices that promote social inclusion and progress.
On September 14, the first group of New Quality Productivity Youth Observers from Zhishan College, led by Dr. Yang Keng and Dr. Chen Shangrong from the Secretariat of the Tsinghua University New Quality Productivity Research Institute, visited the Expo. Through on-site exploration and firsthand experience, they deeply felt how new quality productivity is creating barrier-free lives for special groups and igniting hope.
At the Expo, the observers actively participated in experiential activities. In the exhibition area of well-known enterprises, they personally experienced the rotatable and extendable seats of welfare vehicles, sensing how the concept of "Mobility for All" enhances the convenience of getting on and off through humanized design. They also test-drove the latest models of intelligent electric wheelchairs and ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs, comprehensively evaluating the innovations in mobility brought by technology, from control sensitivity to riding comfort.
In the cutting-edge technology exhibition area, the observers witnessed moving scenes of technology reshaping human potential: a user steadily walking on a treadmill with the aid of a high-tech prosthetic limb, and a bionic hand skillfully playing the guzheng. These examples vividly demonstrated significant advancements in restoring human functions and achieving fine motor skills, highlighting the broad prospects of technology in expanding human capabilities.
The "New Quality Productivity Youth Observer Action Plan" will continue to build a broad platform linking theory and practice, the individual and the nation, youth and the times. May all youth observers carry boundless curiosity and firm beliefs, contributing wisdom and strength to Chinese-style modernization on the stage of new quality productivity.
