Recently, the news of students at Anyang University in Henan, China collectively contracting HIV has become a hot topic on the internet. In fact, official data from the Chinese Communist Party indicates that university campuses in China have become hotbeds for the spread of AIDS.
A screenshot circulating on social media claimed that “female students from Anyang University in Henan were taken by school leaders to accompany county officials, leading to the infection of over a thousand people with HIV, causing chaos among the county officials, and two female students from the school died by jumping off a building.”
A reporter from Dajiyuan contacted students and local residents near the school and learned that the incident occurred at the former Yang campus of the university, where a collective HIV infection did happen, but the number of people infected was not as high as claimed online.
A local resident near Yang County, Li Wei (pseudonym), told a Dajiyuan reporter, “These kinds of incidents have always existed, it’s just that the exaggeration on the internet made it seem like over a thousand people were infected. It should be around three hundred-plus people.” He also revealed that the deputy county head of Yang County and his wife had also been infected.
A student from Anyang University mentioned that a few hundred people had been infected, not as exaggerated as the online posts suggested; incidents of jumping off buildings did occur, but the exact details were unclear.
Another local resident expressed that such situations are common in universities, attributing it to the chaotic environment on modern university campuses and underlying societal issues.
When Dajiyuan reporters contacted Anyang University to inquire about the collective HIV infection case, a female staff member claimed ignorance and quickly hung up the phone. Further attempts to contact the Yang County government also went unanswered.
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is an infectious disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that in recent years, around 3,000 cases of HIV infections occur annually among young students aged 15 to 24 in China, with new infections primarily through sexual transmission, especially among same-sex encounters. Infections mostly occur during gatherings and under the influence of alcohol, with some individuals engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors unknowingly.
The latest official data from the Chinese Communist Party shows that by the end of 2023, the total number of HIV-infected individuals and patients in China reached 1.29 million, with 110,500 new reported cases last year. The rate of HIV infections among university students has been increasing by 30% to 50% annually in recent years, making university campuses fertile grounds for the spread of AIDS.
Former Beijing lawyer and chairman of the Canada Alliance, Lai Jianping, told Dajiyuan reporters that the prevalence of AIDS in Chinese university campuses is ultimately a societal issue and a failure of the Chinese education system. He mentioned the moral degradation within Chinese society, lack of respect and self-discipline among individuals, and a pursuit of wealth over values. This has led to a culture where people are driven to extreme measures for monetary gain, including selling blood or engaging in prostitution, with the behavior starting from the top levels of the Communist Party and trickling down to ordinary citizens.
He stated, “The prevailing societal atmosphere and values emphasize personal wealth accumulation, leading individuals to engage in various activities like prostitution. The widespread outbreak of AIDS has become an inevitable consequence.”
Chinese political commentator Zhou Peng’an pointed out another factor contributing to the spread of HIV among Chinese university students, which is the enrollment of a significant number of African students by the Chinese Communist Party. Many African students carrying the HIV virus engage in promiscuous behavior, contributing to China’s university campuses becoming hotbeds for AIDS.
Over 70% of global AIDS patients are concentrated in Africa. Through the “Belt and Road” initiative, the Chinese government has been generously supporting African students to study in China, providing each student with nearly 100,000 RMB (approximately 14,000 USD) in annual funding. Moreover, in many Chinese universities such as Shandong University, there are specialized programs providing African students with “opposite-sex partners,” enabling the potential spread of the HIV virus among African students.
Data indicates a significant increase in the number of African students studying in China over the past two decades. According to China’s Ministry of Education’s annual statistical yearbook on international students, in 2003, there were only 1,793 African students, constituting 2.31% of the total number of international students; by 2018, the number had surged to 81,562, accounting for 16.57% of international students. A report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace indicated that by 2020, China had become the second-largest destination for African students after France, surpassing the United States by nearly 70%.
Furthermore, since April 2010, the Chinese government has lifted entry restrictions for foreigners with AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and leprosy. Subsequently, the number of AIDS patients has dramatically increased, from 48,000 in 2009 to 160,000 in 2018, nearly quadrupling in size.
Another significant avenue for HIV transmission in China is through blood transfusions, injections, or surgeries, leading to infections during medical procedures.
A victim of HIV infection through blood transfusion, Shen Xiaoyi, recounted his personal experience to Dajiyuan. He shared that he never imagined dealing with AIDS in his lifetime. Previously engaged in tourism-related activities in Dali, Yunnan, Shen also sold local products online. Despite some success in e-commerce, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with AIDS at the beginning of 2022 during the process of planning to go abroad.
Shen spent 55 days in the hospital, nearly depleting his savings on blood tests that costs tens of thousands of dollars. Reflecting on his history, he realized that he had received a blood transfusion due to a car accident in 2017. The incubation period for the HIV virus is generally five to eight years, aligning with the timing of his illness.
Shen shared with reporters that discrimination and exclusion were prevalent in China, with the government lacking any welfare policies and respect for human life. Treatment at hospitals was tiered, and the average person could not afford the high costs of imported medication. Due to his financial resources, Shen volunteered at the hospital, enabling him to access imported drugs and aid his quick recovery.
He also mentioned the challenges in using imported medications, requiring expensive tests to qualify for their use. Shen criticized the high threshold, limiting many individuals to opt for domestic drugs instead.
Although domestically provided medication is free, Shen identified its high dosage and severe side effects compared to imported drugs, leading to subpar treatment outcomes. Despite starting and continuing with imported medication, the hospital set requirements for Shen to volunteer there and promote positive energy.
Facing the initial fear and despair upon learning of his HIV diagnosis, Shen believed he had no chance of survival other than his immediate family. However, his outlook changed after moving to New Zealand in early 2024, where he encountered a welcoming environment free of discrimination. The New Zealand government provided him with free tests and medications, offering a client-centered approach.
Shen remarked, “The New Zealand government prioritizes human beings.”