Twenty-one foreign HIV/AIDS carriers, two women and 19 men, are in regular contact with the China Rainbow support group based in Beijing, the head of the nongovernmental organization said.

"Nine of them are from the United States, two are from the United Kingdom, and the rest are from African countries," Xiao Dong said. "They had trouble getting medical treatment in China and turned to us for help."

According to Xiao, most of the foreigners are aged about 30 and were all infected with HIV/AIDS before they came to China. They all have full-time jobs or long-term plans to stay in Beijing.