Two of our colleagues from China stood and stared, astounded. "I've never seen anything like it," said one. The other pulled out his camera and started snapping pictures of everything. A parade of red umbrellas trooped out, with protesters carrying them chanting "sex work is work!" And then, from the crowd, came a small line of Chinese gay rights activists carrying a banner that read in English and Chinese, "P.R. China Government, Keep Your Promises."

From above us, standing on a stone ledge, a man called out in excitement, "Hey, China's in the house!" The group of Chinese activists stood smiling side by side behind the banner while the cameras whirred and clicked, and beckoned us over to stand beside them with the Asia Catalyst banner. We were proud to do so. It wasn't the loudest protest on the plaza, but it may have been the most courageous one.

China is definitely in the house. Despite the overwhelming cost of travel to Vienna, there is finally a small but active group of activists here from around the country. Some came under their own steam; we're supporting another group of 6 Chinese AIDS activists, plus a translator who is a LGBT rights activist himself and who has been enormously helpful in helping people to get around the city. Our support ranges according to individual needs, from a full scholarship with daily help getting to the conference for one man who has never left China before, to just a local SIM card and map of the city for another who's an old hand.

With help from our three old friends at Korekata AIDS Law Center, we spent early Saturday morning cursing at pieces of tape, and now have set up and are staffing a small but neat and colorful Asia Catalyst booth in the Global Village (an area in the conference hall where NGOs, donors and others have exhibits). It's becoming a meeting spot and nice way to connect with dozens of colleagues from around the world. At the booth, we're handing out copies of our human rights mission kit, posters, and info from Chinese and Thai AIDS NGOs.

The recent move by Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai from China to the U.S., along with advocacy by many others inside China and out, has created a new level of interest by donors and UN officials in meeting with and learning about Chinese AIDS NGOs. We're taking advantage of that to set up as many meetings as we can for the delegation, and encouraging them to seize every opportunity to meet new people, hand out their materials, and ask questions of speakers. The program kicks into high gear tomorrow, with meetings and talks from 9 am until well after 9 pm. We'll have more updates soon.