Former US President Bill Clinton has urged China to do more about Aids at a conference in Beijing. But he has praised the government?s decision to treat poor Aids patients. Dr David Ho, who invented the cocktail therapy for treating Aids, opened a conference which will launch a campaign against the disease. He told delegates urgent action was needed as 20 million Chinese could die from the disease by 2010.

Clinton also said the Sars crisis had shown how countries must act together to combat disease. ?We cannot escape each other?s fate,? he said at the meeting held at China?s Tsinghua University. He also said the price of anti-Aids drugs must come down.?This medicine issue is an international scandal (...) Money shouldn?t determine who lives and dies from Aids.? Last week, China?s Vice Health Minister Gao Qiang said 5,000 HIV and Aids patients without sufficient finances would receive treatment next year.

He also said $820m had been earmarked to set up anti-Aids units. Aids is estimated to have increased by 30 % a year in China since 1998, with more than 800,000 infected with HIV. Experts say the real figures for HIV infection in China could be much higher than official estimates. Recent surveys indicate almost 80 % of people in China, the world?s most populous country, do not know that condoms can protect them from the disease. Speakers at the conference talked about subjects which have until now been taboo, such as Aids orphans and prevention strategies among gay groups.

The guest list includes Aids activists like Hu Jia, who have been openly critical of the government. ?I think it?s the first time that Chinese Government, research institutions and community workers have met at such a high level and held such an open exchanges with delegates from international Aids associations,? he told.?I think it?s a very good starting point indeed.?