Parallel to its economic revolution, the mainland is undergoing a sexual revolution, particularly among its young. The response to this situation will determine how, or whether, young people can overcome serious problems that are having far-reaching consequences on their health and quality of life.
Since feudal times, sex has been a taboo subject in China. Even today, despite significant progress in many areas, many Chinese, particularly the older generations, consider sex as something shameful or dirty and refuse to talk about it. Young people differ greatly from their parents in their opinion about sexual activity. At the same time, boys and girls are becoming sexually active earlier.
As more Chinese adolescents engage in premarital and unprotected sex, there has been a parallel increase in unwanted pregnancies and abortions, as well as in sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/Aids. China is now in the early stages of a major HIV/Aids epidemic.
It is estimated that China now has more than 240 million people aged 15 to 24 and, every year, more than 20 million more enter adolescence. This constitutes an important group whose need for information - particularly on sexual matters - should be addressed. However, only in recent years have textbooks on sex education appeared in schools.
Many women seek abortions when confronted with unwanted pregnancies. It is estimated that the rate of underage pregnancies is growing, and the age at which adolescents become pregnant is lower. In some hospitals, up to 40 per cent of abortions are performed on unwed mothers.
Worldwide, 14 million adolescent girls give birth every year, while about 4.4 million have abortions. The 2001 edition of the Almanac of China's Health reported that some 10 million induced abortions are performed annually in China, of which 20 per cent to 30 per cent are on unmarried young women.