The new Chinese government has its work cut out for it. It will be sorely tested by the need to address income inequalities and improve living standards for the 80% of the Chinese population that lives in the countryside.
This is a horrific problem that sort of boggles the mind at times.
To start with, there is a seasonal migration across China that involves some 200-250 million people. Some years ago, “donate blood plasma for money” was a way for thousands to make money enroute. But because of poor sanitary practices, thousands were infected with HIV.
Today the number of infections is estimated at from half a million to 1.5 million, and may be much higher than that, fortunately limited by a strong culture of marriage. Unlike Africa, the sexually transmitted infections are mostly male-male and male to female, but not female to male.
Likely because of H5N1 Avian flu, the Chinese government has become very aware, rational, and efficient about contagious disease control.