Last month, Shanghai and Guangzhou opened a gay hotline, providing consulting services on psychological, legal and HIV issues.

The hotline, run by the Hong Kong-based Chi Heng Foundation, is open for two hours every day from 7pm to 9pm, and volunteer counselors say it has proved to be a big success.

The more than 20 volunteers in Shanghai are all gay men, but according to hotline staff member Shen Yimu, a lesbian hotline, staffed by lesbians, is in the pipeline.

"To have female counselors at the center will make the women callers feel more secure," said Shen.

The foundation will release details for the new hotline early next month.

"But we still need to work on the budget, as well as the timetables for our volunteers," said Shen.

The foundation had planned to open its lesbian hotline earlier, but Shen said at first it was unable to find enough lesbian counselors.

Shen said this was because when it comes to homosexuality, males are more at risk.

"Especially on the AIDS issue," said Shen. "Female homosexuals have the least chance of catching HIV, even lower than heterosexuals."

Shen said the foundation had located a number of lesbian counselors.

The staff on the male homosexual hotline in Shanghai have studied medicine, law or psychology at university. Another 10 volunteers work in the Guangzhou call center.

Shen said counselors were so busy there was no time to even grab some water while working their shift.

All callers' personal information was confidential, Shen said.

The hotline can be reached toll free on 800-988-1929. Cell phone users can call 021-6380-4448.

Chi Heng is a Hong Kong-based non-governmental organization mainly engaged in AIDS-related projects.

In December 2004, the Ministry of Health, in its first survey of male homosexuals, said there were 5 to 10 million in China. No official number of lesbians or bisexuals in the country have been recorded.