Beijing Sees Growing Ranks of Blood Sellers — 301 Hospital Exposed as a Blood Trade Hub

Beijing Sees Growing Ranks of Blood Sellers — 301 Hospital Exposed as a Blood Trade Hub

[People News] The humanitarian disaster in Henan Province in the 1990s, when the aggressive promotion of the “plasma economy” led to the widespread spread of AIDS, became known as the “blood calamity.” Over the years, the “plasma economy” has continued to develop secretly in China. In the capital city of Beijing, large numbers of unemployed people, trapped in survival crises, are reportedly being forced to sell blood. Even the PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), long known as a health care base for top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders, has allegedly become one of the hubs of this illegal “plasma economy,” raising concerns about what lies behind the scenes.

Groups of Blood Sellers in Beijing — 301 Hospital a “Blood Broker” Base

According to The Epoch Times, the Tongzhou Majuqiao day labor market is one of the largest labor markets in Beijing, gathering people from all walks of life struggling to survive. In late January this year, mainland self-media commentator Li Banjiang published an investigative article about the market, mentioning that among those wandering there are people who cannot find work and are at a dead end, shouting, “Sell blood, sell blood.”

The article quoted an elderly man from Hebei who said that many people there were laid off by factories due to age. Unable to find day labor, they resort to selling personal information or even selling blood just to get by.

Chen Hong (pseudonym), who makes a living in Beijing, recently told The Epoch Times that many people who have lost their jobs now cannot even afford food. Since 2023 and 2024, he said, there have been homeless individuals near Beijing West Railway Station who survive solely by selling blood. “They can’t even find the most basic daily-paid jobs anymore. If you go to sell blood, at least they’ll give you something to eat. Some people even sell once every half month.”

He said that in the early days, one blood sale brought only 200 yuan (RMB), but later the price rose to 600 or 800 yuan.

On February 10, a Beijing blood-selling intermediary, Yang Dong (pseudonym), told The Epoch Times that prices vary by blood type. “Right now, A and O types are 800 yuan, AB and B are 700 yuan. A and O are in short supply because more patients use those types. I can connect with all hospitals in Beijing, help open the paperwork, and schedule the blood donation.”

Yang specifically mentioned 301 Hospital, saying, “Today I’m at 301 Hospital. Usually people with major illnesses come here.”

301 Hospital has long served as a medical base for CCP senior leadership, handling diagnosis and treatment for all theater commands and military branches, while also accepting civilian patients.

China banned paid blood donation nearly 30 years ago. Since then, the blood trade has operated under the guise of “donation.” Those who act as intermediaries and profit from the process are known as “blood heads.”

Yang admitted that selling blood is done in the name of donation. “First there’s a test, then registration. It’s just the normal hospital donation process. The money is called a nutrition fee. What it really is—everyone understands.”

He explained that students and state-owned enterprise employees are common donors, as SOE workers often receive compensatory leave for donating. There are also those urgently in need of money. “Now many so-called ‘donors’ are unemployed. Migrant workers donate too.”

As for pricing, “If you donate before Thursday, you can get 750 to 850 yuan.” However, he said some desperate people are told they’ll receive 1,000 yuan but end up getting only 500—or nothing at all. Such cases are common.

Platelets can reportedly be “donated” every 15 days for about 400 yuan per session.

There are also informal rules: after receiving payment, donors can introduce others and earn an additional 50 to 100 yuan per person. Transfers sometimes take about 10 minutes after donation.

Guangdong Man Describes His Blood-Selling Experience

This phenomenon may be nationwide.

A 39-year-old Guangdong man, Ping Sheng (pseudonym), told The Epoch Times that before COVID, in October 2019, he expanded his business, investing more than 8 million yuan. When lockdowns hit, his capital chain broke. He now still owes over 3 million yuan. Later, unable to afford 3,000 yuan for kidney stone treatment, he had no choice but to sell blood.

“I sold several times and made about 2,000 yuan. Now they won’t let me sell anymore—they say if I keep going I might die. I’ve attempted suicide twice but survived.”

He said the process was arranged privately, but prices were low—400 ml brought at most 400 yuan. Once, when someone urgently needed blood for surgery, he was paid 1,500 yuan.

“Hospitals can’t say it’s selling blood—that’s illegal. They say it’s donation. If you pass the test, they draw your blood. Some give no subsidy, maybe just some nutritional products. I specifically look for those that provide compensation—they know what they’re doing.”

He admitted the damage to his body: “Sometimes when I squat and stand up, my vision goes black.”

Analysis: Rampant Blood Selling Reflects Social Disorder

Medical-background commentator Tang Jingyuan told The Epoch Times that legitimate blood donation is strictly regulated, with health checks, volume limits, and minimum intervals. Proper donation does not harm health. The disguised blood-selling now occurring violates China’s Blood Donation Law, which mandates voluntary, unpaid donation.

Tang said the practice poses serious risks: sellers’ health is unprotected, increasing the risk of blood-borne diseases. Desperate sellers may ignore safety intervals and limits. Some reportedly consume large amounts of glucose before donation to dilute blood samples, severely lowering quality.

He noted that illegal blood sales have long existed underground, but now appear semi-public. As participation grows, the entire blood product industry could be severely damaged.

He said the root cause is China’s economic downturn and massive unemployment, pushing people into desperation. The emergence of a blood-selling industry chain reflects social governance disorder and a “semi-underworld” state. “Such phenomena are typical signs of a regime entering its late stage—widening wealth gaps and loss of control.”

Henan “Blood Calamity” Shadow Persists

In the 1990s, Henan’s “plasma economy” led to widespread HIV infections. After Liu Quanxi became health director in 1992, he promoted blood selling with slogans encouraging farmers to get rich by selling plasma. During Li Changchun’s tenure (1992–1998), up to 1–2 million people reportedly sold blood. Collection stations often skipped HIV testing and reinfused mixed blood components into donors, leading to massive cross-infections.

Hong Kong’s Asia Weekly once reported that 1.4 million people in Henan participated, over a million were infected, and tens of thousands died. Official figures in 2006 listed far fewer cases. Calls for independent investigations and compensation have never been fulfilled.

Weak Oversight and Frequent High-Price Blood Cases

After the Henan crisis, China implemented the Blood Donation Law in 1998, mandating voluntary donation. The “mutual aid blood donation” system also emerged, allowing relatives or work units to donate on behalf of patients.

Although paid blood selling is illegal, oversight is reportedly weak. Cases typically blame intermediaries or hospitals, rarely officials.

In 2011, China Youth Daily reported illegal blood sales where 400 ml fetched 1,400–1,500 yuan in “compensation,” while sellers received only 300–400 yuan after intermediaries took cuts.

In March 2024, a 19-year-old from Shanxi died suddenly after reportedly selling plasma 16 times in eight months.

Despite calls to amend the Blood Donation Law, revisions were only formally proposed in December 2025.

Commentator Li Linyi said that if authorities truly cared about public welfare, they would not have allowed such a serious issue to persist for 15 years without reform. The alleged involvement of elite medical institutions like 301 Hospital suggests deep entanglement between the black industry chain and powerful interests.

He expressed skepticism that legal revisions would bring real change, comparing it to organ transplant regulations introduced amid allegations of forced organ harvesting—policies that critics argue served as shields against international scrutiny while abuses continued in secrecy. △