5 April 2000

HIV/AIDS: Chinese Official Urges More Efforts On Epidemic

Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Li Lanqing has called for the fight against HIV/AIDS to be a national priority in his country, BBC Online reports.

Li told a Beijing conference China should spend more time and money on the issue, which is vital to the fate of the country. Increased central and local government spending, he said, would avoid higher costs in the future. The efforts must focus on prevention and awareness, he said.

Officials said HIV cases in China rose 30% last year, and Chinese health experts say 500,000 people are infected with HIV. Experts also warn that a dramatic rise in sexually-transmitted diseases could make HIV/AIDS more difficult to control. The World Health Organization has predicted that without quick action, China could have 10 million HIV cases by the end of the decade (Duncan Hewitt, BBC)