Proposed bathhouse ban renews HIV rights controversy(3)

If the government insists on imposing the ban, it should come out with detailed provisions that are easy for business owners to follow, said the manager. "For example, will consumers be obliged to show us their health certificates?"

An HIV-positive man who declined to reveal his name said he does not care about the warning signs. He warned of possible revenge by "rebellious HIV carriers" who might maliciously spread the virus in establishments the rule attempts to exclude them from.

However, some health professionals believe the regulation might help expand their HIV prevention and treatment efforts to some hidden bathing venues, especially gay bathhouses and settings providing sexual services.

"We are fully aware of HIV transmission through unprotected sexual contact in these places, but are not legally entitled to conduct on-site testing," said a veteran government health worker in Chongqing.

"If the rule gets passed, I would say it's an opportunity for us to break the deadlock," said the health worker, who asked not to be named.

His view was partly echoed by Wu Zunyou, who said the ban might serve as a warning for men who have sex with men and are therefore at high risk of HIV infection.

A 2012 figure released by the Ministry of Health showed China has reported more than 490,000 cases of HIV infection and AIDS.

Even before bathhouses became a flash point in the latest debate, the struggles of HIV-infected people in education, employment and healthcare in China have frequently made headlines and ignited controversy in recent years.

In July, HIV-plagued Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China began to implement real-name registration for HIV testing, eliciting strong criticism from experts and HIV carriers despite a promise by officials to protect privacy.

"The government is supposed to fully consult medical experts and ethicists before making compulsory rules concerning HIV, and that's the point," said Zhang Beichuan.