BEIJING, Sept. 7-- Zhang Jiahuan, a 15-year-old wheelchair-bound girl from Shenzhen, will sing at a celebration for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the Daily Sunshine reported Wednesday.

She will sing the Chinese-language song"Me and My Motherland" at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Sept. 16 and plans to proudly tell the world:"I come from Shenzhen, China."

When asked why she had chosen to sing"Me and My Motherland," Zhang said that she wanted to represent her country and sing in her mother tongue.

Zhang applied for a knock-out contest in Beijing after being informed that United Nations was looking for a singer in China for the 60th anniversary celebrations.

She was the only disabled entrant among nearly 100 contestants, but her rendition of a famous Italian song from the opera"The Marriage of Fiagaro" convinced the judges to award her a ticket to the United Nations in New York.

She has been preparing hard for her big day by taking at least 3 hours a day of lessons given by a top teacher from the Chinese Central Opera School.

When Zhang and her mother arrive in New York, it will be a dream coming true for the young Shenzhener who loves American pop music and has wanted to visit the United States since she was young.

Born in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, Zhang displayed music talents at 3. She began to hold the stage in 2003 after winning a national singing contest in English.

(Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)