BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China' political advisors discussed protection of the rights and interests of the country's disabled population at a bi-weekly consultation session Thursday.

According to a statement issued after the session presided over by Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the advisors acknowledged that the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have attached great importance to the protection of rights and interests of China's 85 million disabled people.

But considerable gap regarding living standards continue to exist between the disabled population and the overall average of the Chinese society, they noted.

The advisors suggested a government-led approach that involves full public participation in the welfare improvement for the disabled people, and called for favorable education and employment policies for them.

They also called for improving China' s current laws and regulations concerning protection of disabled people's rights and interests.