However, Chinese netizens criticized his article, with the majority calling his views a distortion of facts and written to catch attention.
这篇文章发表后引发了很大的争议。大部分的网友指责周歪曲事实，故意博人眼球。
"Attributing the surge of China's HIV/AIDS cases to foreigners is an exaggeration, which reflects people's ignorance of the virus and their aversion to foreigners," Zhang Beichuan, a leading expert on HIV/AIDS intervention and sexologist at Qingdao University, told the Global Times on Monday.
国内性学、艾滋知名学者张北川教授在接受《环球时报》英文版采访时驳斥了周的文章。他称这篇文章将中国艾滋疫情的上升归结于外国人是过分夸张，同时也反映出大众对与艾滋病毒的无知，以及对外国人的异化和排斥。
▲Experts slam blaming HIV on foreigners
张北川教授还说，世界上很多国家没有对患有艾滋病的外国人进行入境限制，但这些国家并没有发现艾滋疫情有明显波动啊！
虽然老外们莫名接了个锅，但国内艾滋病病例上升，却已是不争的事实。
数据触目惊心——
As of June, China reported 820,756 people living with HIV/AIDS. By the second quarter this year, there were 40,104 new HIV carriers and AIDS patients, according to data the Chinese Association of STD and AIDS Prevention and Control sent to the Global Times in September.
来自中国性病艾滋病防治协会的最新数据显示：截止到今年6月，全国报告现存活艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病人820756例。2018年第二季度新发现艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病人40104例。
