Safe sex next front in China's AIDS battle
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-23 09:24

The Chinese government originally stigmatized AIDS as a disease of the decadent, capitalist West -- a problem of gays, sex workers and drug users. Traditionally, none of these officially existed in China.

It now says, however, that it is well aware of the problem.

The fight against infectious diseases such as AIDS has been highlighted as a key element of raising health standards in China's latest five-year plan, which is expected to be formally approved in March at an annual meeting of parliament.

Over the past few weeks, Beijing has outlined a raft of new measures aimed at raising awareness and trying to outlaw discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

Billboards with red ribbons line a popular bar street in Beijing, the government sponsors AIDS events and state media have reported the start of a state-funded needle exchange programme.

Yet just around the corner from those same posters, prostitutes and pimps strut their stuff outside a strip of 5-star hotels, with little regard for AIDS.

"Sure, you can go with her and not use a condom, but it's double the price," says Lina, gesturing to a shivering and frightened-looking young girl in heavy make-up who appeared to be about 16. "I'm more worried she'll get pregnant than get AIDS."

Further down the street, Anna, from the southwestern city of Chongqing, brushes off worries about AIDS as she hustles customers for a brothel masquerading as a bar.

"We get new girls in from the countryside every two weeks, so there's no problem," she said, tottering on high-heeled leather boots, and wrapped up against the cold night air in a gaudy yellow jacket. "No condom is fine."

EMBARRASSED TO TALK

And conservative attitudes persist.

"In the East, people still feel embarrassed to talk about sex, which is one of the reasons for the rise in AIDS transmitted sexually," Wu Zunyou, an AIDS expert at China's Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told Reuters.

"We can't overnight become as open as in the West. But I think we are still making progress," he added.

China's prevention measures include educating students at 90,000 high schools and 2,100 universities and farmers in 740,000 villages, according to state media.

Too little, too late, some say.

"I did a presentation at a primary school in France, and everyone already knew about the main routes of transmission for AIDS. I was amazed! It's not at all like that in China," said the Chinese AIDS activist.

"I'd like to say I feel optimistic, but I just can't."