AbstractPeptic ulcer disease is twice as common in people living in South China when compared with those in North China. However, the gastric cancer rate in North China is three times that of South China. The overallHelicobacter pyloriprevalence rate is similar in North and South China populations and it is higher than Caucasians living in Western societies. However, there is a significantly higher prevalence ofH. pyloriseropositivity among those who live in the high gastric cancer areas of China. On the other hand, there is no significant difference in theH. pyloripositive rate in the peptic ulcer disease patients between the two regions of China. Other permissive/associated co‐factors in the development of peptic ulcer disease or gastric cancer remain unknown at this stag