Well, China has certainly moved past the “denial” stage.

Starting March first, China will enforce a new law that describes both the legal rights and duties of those infected by HIV/AIDS and the local governments of Shanghai and Henan will enact programs to slow the spread of the virus.

The new HIV/AIDS patient's list of rights and responsibilities is pretty straightforward in description.  You cannot discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients by denying them marriage, employment, medical care, and education.  It is also illegal to disclose the names, addresses, and work places of HIV/AIDS patients.

The responsibilities of the infected are also very logical.  If infected with the disease, a person must inform sexual partners and doctors and take necessary precautions to prevent infecting others.

The role of the government is to help take care of those who cannot afford to help themselves.  Governments above the county-level will provide free HIV/AIDS drugs for rural and underprivileged patents.

These are all good regulations that make sense.  Why did the Chinese government wait until now to enact these laws?  Because until as late as 2001, many Chinese felt that AIDS was the problem of foreigners (AIDS was called aizibing or the “love capitalism disease” by many.)  But now with estimations of 600,000 to 800,000 infected with the disease, the Chinese government is taking strong steps to curtail the growth of the disease.

For example, as the new law is enforced on March first, Shanghai will attempt to install condom dispensers in the some 20,000 small hair salons and massage parlors in the city.  This is because these places are often the site of illegal sex services.  That's a lot of condoms.  But, thankfully, education is also a part of their plan.  The government is continuing is campaign to educate everyone, including prostitutes (of whom only roughly 15% believe they are susceptible to being infected by HIV.)

And Hainan will be testing 1.5 million people for HIV, especially the spouses of HIV virus carriers, female HIV virus carriers of child-bearing age, migrant workers, people who work in entertainment venues, gays and drug addicts.

I'm not saying that America's response to AIDS was particularly quick, either.  It wasn't.  But in both cases, its good to see progressive laws and programs.  Better late than never.