China lifts HIV/AIDS travel ban

China has lifted travel restrictions for foreigners who suffer from HIV and AIDS ahead of the Shanghai World Expo this weekend.

The expo is expecting up to 100 million visitors during its six-month run and although most of the visitors are expected to be Chinese, up to 4 million foreigners could attend.

The new law was immediately praised by United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon.

"I commend president Hu Jintao for China's decision to remove travel restrictions based on HIV status," he said in a statement.

"Punitive policies and practices only hamper the global AIDS response.

"I urge all other countries with such restrictions to remove them as a matter of priority and urgency."

The World Health Organisation also welcomed the move and said it should inspire other nations to follow China's lead.

"China's decision to categorically remove HIV/AIDS from the list of conditions subject to entry restrictions is a significant step in the right direction," director-general Margaret Chan said in a statement.

More than 50 countries around the world still have laws and restrictions for HIV-positive people.

According to official statistics, China has 740,000 HIV-positive people.

- AFP