BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have stressed privacy protection for AIDS-affected children and may punish those found leaking private information.

No institutions or individuals shall publish information such as the name, address, school, portrait or medical records of children infected with or impacted by AIDS without the approval of their guardians, according to a statement jointly issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Civil Affairs on Monday.

Other information that may be used to deduce the identity of these children is also barred from being publicized, the statement said.

It said those who leak the information will be handled according to law.

China does not have a special privacy law, but items concerning privacy protection can be found in laws or rules.

The three departments also called for better treatment and mental care for the AIDS-affected children. Hospitals and medical units can't delay or refuse to treat children found with the virus, according to the statement.

The statement also stressed the children's rights to receive education. It asked local authorities to improve the education subsidy system for them and ensure that AIDS-affected children won't drop out because of poverty.

Local authorities are also asked to regularly allocate living subsidies to AIDS orphans and children with the virus.