BEIJING, Dec. 1 -- The World AIDS Day, designated on Dec. 1 every year since 1988 by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an international day to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

This year's theme is "Communities make the difference," highlighting the role of communities in preventing, treating and supporting people with HIV, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

People can show their support for those infected with HIV/AIDS by donning a red ribbon on the day.

KEY FIGURES

According to WHO, some 37.9 million people live with HIV around the world at the end of 2018. Over two thirds of people with HIV live in Africa, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2018, about 1.7 million people were newly infected with HIV, the WHO said. Between 2000 and 2018, new HIV infections dropped by 37 percent and HIV-related deaths slipped by 45 percent, with 13.6 million lives saved due to anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Globally, only 62 percent of adults and 52 percent of children living with HIV were receiving the lifelong ART, according to WHO.

KEY FACTS

The first cases of HIV were reported more than 35 years ago. In January 1996, the UNAIDS was launched under a resolution of the UN Economic and Social Council, and is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to WHO, HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety of body fluids from infected people, such as blood, breast milk and semen.

Individuals cannot be infected through ordinary day-to-day contact, such as hugging and shaking hands.

CHINA'S RESPONSE

China is now the chair of UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, which guides the work of UNAIDS with representatives of 22 governments.

China has forged a good partnership with the African Union, a 55-member pan-African bloc, whereby it provides supports, including training for experts who play indispensable role in the fight against the HIV/AIDS and dispatching medical teams to relevant African regions.

In September 2018, during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, public health was identified as a top priority for China-Africa health cooperation.

Ahead of the 32nd World AIDS Day falling on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for unremitting efforts to prevent and treat major infectious diseases such as AIDS.

Li said scientific and technological research and development of drugs should be strengthened and the patients' life quality should be constantly improved.