Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu congratulated on the founding of the Chinese Association of the Lions Club Tuesday in Beijing and said China hopes to strengthen cooperation with the Lions Clubs International.

Hui made the remarks during a meeting with Clement Kusiak, president of the Lions Clubs International, a well-known world welfare organization founded in 1917.

China appreciates the welfare actions of the Lions Clubs International and its "Sight First China Action" in cooperation with China, said the Chinese vice-premier.

The first phase of the "Sight First China Action" was launched in China in 1997. Up to 2002, 2.1 million operations on cataract patients were conducted, far exceeding the targeted 1.7 million. The second phase of the program aims to conduct 2.5 million cataract operations throughout the country from 2002 to 2007.

Source: Xinhua