Gay stigma hindering HIV prevention in China

Most of the reports were based on new figures from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) showing that the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China had hit 575,000 by the end of October, with 177,000 deaths.

The China CDC said MSM have become the group with the highest infection rate. Around 8 percent of MSM in China are living with HIV/AIDS.

Infections among young people have become particularly noticeable, as 2,662 new cases of students living with HIV/AIDS were reported from January to October, a surge of 27.8 percent year on year, the China CDC said.

More detailed statistics from local CDCs show rapid growth in infections among young male students who have sex with men.

Of the 92 students who were infected this year in Shanghai, 88 percent were MSM cases.

Central China's Henan and Hunan provinces also reported increased infections among gay students this year. Henan had 82 student MSM infections, up 39 percent, while Hunan reported 154 students were infected, up 10 percent, according to local CDC centers.

In addition to stigma against homosexuals, irrational fear of HIV is another cause of discrimination that ironically contributes to the spread of the disease, said Zhang, who was found HIV positive 20 years ago.

Zhang, a regular guest on TV shows, wants to be China's Magic Johnson, the NBA basketball player living healthily 24 years after declaring himself HIV positive. "China needs a public figure to show the people that AIDS can be treated. An infection with HIV is not the end of the world," he said.

The life expectancy of people who are HIV positive rose from 36 to 55 between 2001 and 2014, according to a UN report. ( China's CDC described the spread of HIV/AIDS as a mild pandemic.

"To end the pandemic, we need to bring changes in our culture so that everyone treats those who are gay or HIV positive as normal people, including themselves," Lu said.