There are currently an estimated 700,000 people living with HIV in China, including 85,000 AIDS patients, according to a joint estimation from the Ministry of Health, UNAIDS and WHO. At least 6,897 people died of the disease in the first nine months this year. This figure is due to better data and improved methods of estimation.

With one in fifth individuals in the world living in China, it is crucial that the country continues with its efforts to combat the epidemic which is highly prevalent among China’s construction workers, miners and casual laborers. HIV prevention efforts for these groups are essential as studies have found that they are at greater risk of contracting and transmitting the disease.

"The epidemic is lowly prevalent in general but it is highly prevalent among specific groups such as migrant workers, and in some regions particularly remote areas and the countryside," said Wang Weizhen, deputy director of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment at the Ministry of Health. Rural-to-urban migrant workers have been identified as the ‘tipping point’ for the AIDS epidemic in China as they may infect others when they return home to rural areas.

The Ministry of Heath said 264,302 people in the country were reported to have contracted HIV, including 77,753 AIDS patients, by the end of September, while 34,864 people died of AIDS.

Another problem is given by the fact that the fear of being stigmatized at work or in their communities discourages many people who are at risk of HIV infection from being tested. "Stigma and discrimination are major obstacles in an effective response to AIDS" said Minister of Health Chen Zhu. More efforts need to be done in order to combat the discrimination against HIV infected people.