Chinese Government Begins Condom Promotion To Prevent Spread of HIV in Beijing, Guangdong Province
The Chinese government, which has been criticized for not addressing HIV/AIDS in the country, has begun promoting the use of condoms to prevent transmission of the virus and has allowed condom advertisements in advance of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, Agence France-Presse reports. Beijing this year has placed 80 HIV/AIDS prevention posters in subway stations, about 600 advertisements in subway trains and more than 40 AIDS awareness billboards, including some that promote condom use, throughout the city, according to Agence France-Presse. "China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce bans family planning products from being advertised," an unnamed official at China's Center for Disease Control said, adding, "The ban still exists, but condom ads that are aimed at preventing HIV/AIDS are allowed" (Agence France-Presse, 11/23). China's CDC also will be distributing free-of-charge condoms and brochures on how to prevent HIV/AIDS in the South China province of Guangdong in the days leading up to Worlds AIDS Day, according to Xinhuanet (Xinhuanet, 11/23).
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