Wednesday, April 28, 2010

China Lifts HIV Entry Ban [queer news!]

Queer news, good news! After the USA finally "did it" in January, here's China following!

China has finally revoked a ban that did not allow people with HIV/AIDS to enter the country. Last year, Australian novelist, essayist and editor, Robert Dessaix was not granted entrance into China after declaring his status as HIV positive. More than 90 Australian writers had reacted by signing a letter decrying China's refusal to grant a visa to one of Australia's most celebrated writers.

China's regulation formally banned foreigners with "psychiatric illness, leprosy, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, active pulmonary tuberculosis or other infectious diseases" to enter the country. Note that, according to 2009 Ministry of Health and UN estimates, China has 560,000 to 920,000 people infected with the HIV virus and 97,000 to 112,000 AIDS patients. 

The amended rules now remove the explicit plan on people with HIV/AIDS as well as anyone with leprosy. However, the new rules still prevent foreigners "with serious psychiatric illness, infectious pulmonary tuberculosis or other infectious diseases that may constitute a major threat to public health" from entering the country. 

This decision comes in as, on Friday, Shanghai opens its World Expo, a multibillion dollar exhibition that is China's effort to promote an image as a forward-looking and open country.

[Read more at The Guradian here.]

1 comment:

The Illustrious D said...

Christ on a bike, dude! When you go down, you do it in flames, and not just cause of your firecracker pecker.

What an attrocious and well reading tale.

Remember, nothing says 'terrorist' like an eyebrow piercing. And being brown.