Wang Hailong plunged into despair upon completing his studies at a financial college in Hunan province during the 1990s. Born with a congenital eye condition, the accounting student witnessed a significant deterioration in his eyesight throughout his academic journey.

In the latter part of his college years, he had to use a magnifying glass to read.

"By the time of my graduation, my vision had deteriorated to the extent that I could only perceive light, and I was uncertain about my future," Wang, a chief therapist at Massage Hospital Beijing, told a gathering in the capital on Tuesday.

Assisted by the local disabled persons' federation, Wang was among tens of thousands of blind and visually impaired individuals in China who transcended their physical limitations by entering the field of medical massage, known as tuina in traditional Chinese medicine, creating a meaningful career path for themselves.

He shared his story at an event commemorating the Ninth Diplomatic Envoy's TCM Health Day, held at the hospital on Tuesday, coinciding with the 41st White Cane Safety Day, which is observed worldwide on Oct 15 annually in dedication to the achievements of the visually impaired.

At the event, Li Dongmei, vice-chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, said the nation currently boasts about 14,000 blind and visually impaired massage therapists, along with 1,000 private massage parlors owned by the group.

She said since 2021, the central government has invested in establishing 11 new massage hospitals nationwide.

These initiatives aim to empower individuals within this group to lead dignified lives and contribute meaningfully to society.

Nyima Jammeh Kinteh, the wife of the Gambian ambassador to China, praised China for its initiatives to integrate visually disabled individuals into the workforce through programs like Massage Hospital Beijing, which was established in 1958 specifically to offer employment opportunities for this community.

After experiencing a relaxing massage session provided by a visually impaired therapist at Massage Hospital Beijing, Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, the Ghanaian ambassador to China, expressed profound relief from his stress.

He lauded China's distinctive approach of providing employment opportunities for visually disabled individuals through TCM as a noteworthy model that the world can draw inspiration from.

"We want to bring this back home to the African continent, and back to Ghana," the ambassador said.