The HIV/AIDS Exceptionalism in China

The response to HIV/AIDS in every country has been unprecedented. At both the country and international levels, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not treated like other communicable diseases. There has been a lot of exceptionalism in response to HIV/AIDS in Western countries. This refers to the exceptional innovations that are used in prevention, patient care, health policy formulation and implementation, and focusing on the civil rights. China’s response to HIV/AIDS goes beyond the normal health interventions and adopts exceptionalist strategies in dealing with HIV/AIDS. This study seeks to illustrate the extent to which exceptionalism is used in China in response to HIV/AIDS. It also seeks to investigate the underlying reasons that explain this exceptionalism. The study demonstrates that although the health interventions implemented in China are similar to those in Western countries, the implementation process is different and unique. The Chinese exceptionalism model of HIV/AIDS is a strong state-led, top-down approach. The international community also plays a significant role in pushing for HIV/AIDS policy transfer in China. The emerging power of grass-roots NGOs in defending the citizens right to health and in shaping policy is also important. This study contributes to the debates on how China has moved from exceptionalism to normalization in the management of HIV/AIDS issues. The study also contributes to the discussion on how HIV/AIDS initiatives evolve and are maintained in China.