Americans are happy to work with the people of China on building a future free of the pain and trouble caused by HIV/AIDS, said spokesperson Sheila Paskman of the American Embassy in Beijing Wednesday.

The US government began a special relief fund to China in 2003 to support the country's efforts in HIV/AIDS prevention and control. By 2007, the total grant is expected to amount to 35 million US dollars, she said.

This relief fund came as part of the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiated by American President George W. Bush, which aims to channel a total of 15 billion US dollars within five years to countries plagued HIV/AIDS, especially those in Africa, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia.

The US National Institute of Health is working with Chinese research institutes to develop vaccines and new therapies, while the American Center for Disease Control has started cooperation with China's Center for Disease Prevention and Control and 10 Chinese research institutes at provincial level.

In Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southwest and south China, the US Agency for International Development opened community programs urging people to love and care for HIV/AIDS victims.

Given that the AIDS epidemic has spread worldwide, it's very encouraging to see the people from both the United States and China working together, she said.

In China, the population of HIV-positive people has been estimated at approximately 840,000.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2004)