NEW YORK — Parallel to its economic revolution, China is now undergoing a sexual revolution, particularly among youth, that is having far-reaching consequences on their health and quality of life. The response to this challenge will determine how, or whether, young people can overcome serious problems.

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 mature at a younger age and are becoming sexually active earlier.

An increasing number of Chinese adolescents engage in premarital and unprotected sexual activity. As a result, there has been a parallel increase in unwanted pregnancies and abortions, as well as in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. China is now in the early stages of a major HIV/AIDS epidemic.