New chairperson of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) Zhang Haidi (R) and her predecessor Deng Pufang attend the closing ceremony of the fifth national congress of the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 13, 2008. Zhang Haidi on Thursday was elected as new chairperson of the CDPF at the national congress and former chairperson Deng Pufang would serve as the CDPF's honorable chairman. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Wheelchair-bound woman writer Zhang Haidi on Thursday was elected as new chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) at the organization's fifth national congress.

She replaced Deng Pufang, who has in the past decade led the organization that represents nearly 83 million disabled people in China.

Deng Pufang will serve as the CDPF's honorable chairman, the congress decided.