HIV is still a sensitive topic in China, which was once again thrust into the spotlight in September when a young aspiring teacher launched a lawsuit against local authorities in southwest China's Guizhou Province for employment discrimination.

The candidate, who went by the alias Xiao Hai, tested positive for HIV during a mandatory employment medical examination for a position at a public primary school.

Citing that the Standard of Medical Checkup for Recruitment of Public Servant indicates people living with HIV/AIDS cannot be hired, the local education bureau refused to hire Xiao Hai, despite his excellent performance in the written test and interview.

Xiao Hai is not the only person to be discriminated against. In 2010, two candidate teachers in east China's Anhui Province and southwest China's Sichuan Province were also denied teaching posts for the same reason.

At the Sixth Conference of International Cooperation Programs on HIV/AIDS held in Beijing, Chen Zhu, Minister of Health, said that there were 429,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in China up to the end of September 2011. The medical facts state that the HIV won't be transmitted through a daily people-to-people contact. Xiao Hai's case has re-opened the debate about whether people living with HIV/AIDS can be teachers. Those who say yes they can, maintain there is no threat to others and everyone should have equal opportunity for employment. However, others insist that these applicants will cause alarm and despondency among students and their parents.