UNDP, Chinese Media Company Create HIV/AIDS Awareness PSA Featuring Basketball Stars Yao Ming, Magic Johnson

The U.N. Development Programme and Beijing-based advertising company Epin Media recently created a public service announcement featuring National Basketball Association star Yao Ming and former NBA star Magic Johnson that aims to increase awareness of and reduce discrimination relating to HIV/AIDS, Xinhuanet reports. The 30-second PSA recently aired on local television stations in Beijing, and Epin plans to broadcast it on express trains and at major railway stations across China. The PSA features Johnson, who is HIV-positive, and Yao, who is Chinese, playing basketball and sharing a meal and encourages people not to discriminate against those living with HIV/AIDS (Xinhuanet, 3/3). China's State Council in January approved regulations -- which went into effect on Wednesday -- that outlaw discrimination against HIV-positive people (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/13).