That sex education is inadequate in China is a fact. The Chinese government has said that it is worried because an increasing number of university students are testing positive for HIV. Considering that most people don't get tested for HIV/AIDS, the situation is frightening indeed.

Like the United States in the early 1980s, China now has to make a choice. The nation should try to accept that HIV, STDs and sexuality are part of life, and one should face them squarely. Or we could watch helplessly and say, "that's so sad", as millions of people die.

I wouldn't accept arguments such as, "sex education is difficult to implement in China", "people don't want to talk about sex", "Chinese people cannot easily accept it because of the influence of Chinese culture". There is nothing in traditional Chinese culture that is "against" sex education. The government has the money and manpower to produce anything "for the good of China". So it need not spend years to come up with a plan that could start the process of change today.

Parents are responsible for their children's sex education and they cannot cite excuses for not fulfilling that duty, especially because they know that schools in China are found wanting when it comes to teaching this important subject. It's unfair to put the blame squarely on adolescents and youths for contracting STDs when society as a whole - especially parents and teachers - fails to sufficiently warn them of the dangers lurking just around the corner.

ANDREWPKU, from China Daily forum

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