China Gets Serious About Gay HIV/AIDS

Communist China continues to make headway in the fight against HIV/AIDS. After years of deadly silence, officials only recently began opening queer clinics and encouraging safe sex. Now they’re ramping up their efforts:

The policy will incorporate detailed HIV/AIDS prevention measures for MSM (men who have sex with men) including extending the use of condoms, according to the ministry’s work plan for disease prevention and control in 2008.

China has decided to intensify its AIDS intervention campaign on MSM by carrying out AIDS prevention training among the gay population nationwide as well as conducting consultation, HIV/AIDS tests, venereal disease treatment in some areas, the ministry said.

11.1% of the estimated 700,000 infected Chinese citizens are MSM. Only 10-to-20% say they use condoms.