The marriage of an HIV-infected woman and a healthy man has sparked unprecedented debate on whether carriers of the deadly virus or AIDS patients should be allowed to enter wedlock.

The couple from Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, secured their marriage licence on Friday in the city and their wedding ceremony will be held in Beijing on December 1.

Some media reported that the 28-year-old woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, also wants to have a baby in future.

According to the Beijing Morning Post, the case does not signify that HIV carriers and AIDS patients will all be allowed to get married.

It quoted an official of the civil affairs department of east China's Jiangsu Province as saying most provinces and cities in the country have regulations that restrict the marriage of HIV carriers and AIDS patients.

Wu Changzhen, an expert in marriage law, said it was acceptable for people infected with the HIV virus to be married on the premise that it is by mutual consent and such a marriage does not harm society in any way.

"They (HIV carriers and AIDS patients) have their right to be married, just as other common people do, and this should be respected," she said.

Cao Yunzhen, an expert in HIV/AIDS, said the couple should take protection, such as using condoms during sexual relations, to prevent the man becoming infected.

But Cao warned that such safety measures do not prevent the man from catching the deadly virus.

If the woman wants to have a baby, she must receive proper treatment so that the level of the HIV virus in her body drops to a low level, Cao said, adding that the guidance of doctors is essential during the process.

(China Daily November 26, 2002)