Beijing steps up AIDS fight

The Ministry of Health says it plans to create a national database containing the records of every reported HIV/AIDS patient and promised free HIV tests in every province this year. State media also reported that a draft of China's first HIV/AIDS prevention regulation is nearing completion and is scheduled for discussion by the State Council in May. Meanwhile, Vice Premier Wu Yi urged businesses to play a larger role in stemming the spread of AIDS in a recent speech. The moves underscore Beijing's acknowledgment that it must do more to combat the epidemic in a country that has an estimated 840,000 HIV cases, a figure disputed by many independent observers.