Qingxia Zhao, or Sonia as she is known to her friends in the UK, is the Head of the Infectious Diseases department at the sixth hospital of Zhengzhou City. She is also Chief Physician there, and a member of the Ministry of Health AIDS Clinical Working Group of Experts. She has been engaged in AIDS clinical work since 2000.

Qingxia has treated nearly 5000 patients with HIV. She has also trained nearly 600 clinicians as part of a programme through which trainees fom other HIV/AIDS treatment clinics in China attend her hospital.