Starting in July, guide dogs for the blind will be allowed into Beijing's public places including subway stations and buses.

Currently, large dog ownership is restricted in Beijing and they are barred from public places, causing great inconvenience for a number of blind people. China Daily gives applauds to the change, calling it a great progress in safeguarding the rights and interests of the blind.

Official figures show about 12.3 million people in the country suffer from visual impairments.

The paper hopes the new rule will set a good example for other cities to followsuit. It also says in the run up to September's Paralympics, the belief that guid dogs are pets should be corrected.

The paper calls on more efforts to promote a comfortable environment for the disabled, saying not only should the environment be barrier-free but people's mindsets and attitudes towards the disabled.