X.  APPENDIX

June 6, 2003

Mr. Yang Jiechi

Ambassador

Embassy of the People's Republic of China

          In the United States of America

2300 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20008

Your Excellency:

Human Rights Watch conducts regular, systematic investigations of human rights abuses in some seventy countries around the world.  As part of its ongoing work on HIV/AIDS, Human Rights Watch is currently conducting an investigation into a range of issues including HIV testing procedures, detention of injection drug users, access to hospital care and acess to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in China.

Human Rights Watch has conducted previous investigations into human rights aspects of HIV/AIDS in the United States, India, Kazakhstan, Canada, Togo, Congo, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa.  Our work on HIV/AIDS has involved investigations in reference to children's rights, access to information, police harassment of outreach workers and of drug users and sex workers, and rights of women.  We publish reports and press releases in English, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, both in print and on our website (www.hrw.org) and (www.hrw.org/chinese).

We plan to publish a report on the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS in China this summer.  In order to fully and accurately reflect your government's policies and practices, we would be grateful for your assistance in obtaining answers to the following questions from the appropriate officials within your government.  We will incorporate your government's responses in our published report.

1. What is China's current annual budget for national, provincial, prefectural and local healthcare? 

2.  What percentage of this is allocated to treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS?

3.  Are there current plans for review and reform of existing laws on HIV/AIDS?  If so, what are they?

4.  What is the policy of the government if it were discovered that a provincial official had under-reported HIV infection rates?

5.  What is the existing law or policy on discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS?  How is it enforced?

6.  What procedure exists for those who believe they have experienced discrimination and wish to seek redress?

I would like to be able to meet with you to discuss these questions, and your government's response.  In order to be able to reflect the information you provide in our report, we would appreciate having your response no later than July 6, 2003.

Sincerely yours,

Brad Adams

Executive Director

Asia Division

Human Rights Watch

Asia Division

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold

political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international

human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Rory Mungoven, advocacy director; Carroll Bogert, associate director; Barbara Guglielmo, finance director; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Steve Crawshaw, London office director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; Iain Levine, program director; Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair.  Its Asia division was established in 1985 to monitor and promote the observance of internationally recognized human rights in Asia.  Brad Adams is Executive Director of the Asia division.  Joanne Leedom-Ackerman is Chairperson of the advisory committee.

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